


This Crying Earth

by JolinarJackson



Series: Mosaic 'verse [3]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Explicit Language, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-02
Updated: 2014-11-21
Packaged: 2018-02-23 20:32:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 38,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2554661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JolinarJackson/pseuds/JolinarJackson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Coedwig Street has been a peaceful neighbourhood for a long time but now, a mysterious being is roaming the street and gardens, scaring the families living there and getting Torchwood's attention. The team doesn't know that it's messing with a force older than Earth … and its dangerous allies. And while Gwen is having problems with Rhys and Ianto is struggling with his attraction to Jack, the Fairies don't seem to be finished with the captain, yet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Spoiler: Everything Changes, Ghost Machine, Small Worlds, Fragments, Characters from Children of Earth (Ianto's family) / Novels: Slow Decay / Doctor Who: Mentions of The End of the World and hints at The Sound of Drums plus The Last of the Time Lords  
> Setting: after Small Worlds  
> Author's Note: This is the sequel to The Enemy Within, but you don't need to know it to read this. There'll be just some hints you won't understand that well. The song sung by an OC in the prologue is 7 Things by Miley Cyrus. Jack mentions catching the team gossiping about him via IM – I'm referring to an IM conversation formerly on the BBC website and now to be found here (Iantos Desktop). There's also the mention of a scene from an outtake from the episode Cyber Woman. The title's from Michael Jackson's Earth Song.  
> Beta: alt_universe_me, danian and Vistin. Thank you.

**Prologue**

 

The rain wasn't showing any sign of letting up in the near future. The street lamps were reflected on the wet tarmac and cast an orange glow on the neat family homes on one side of the street. However, the light didn't reach the shadows between the trees of Roundstone Wood just across the street. It was as if the warm glow couldn't enter the realm of the trees. As if the shadows were swallowing all the light and noises. Some construction equipment was lining the edge of the forest like guardians, abandoned for now, but soon to be used.

When a tall girl with dark hair passed the crossing at the end of the street, the soft noise of sneakers hitting the tarmac echoed between the houses and the forest. She switched off her iPod and shoved it into her jacket. Coedwig Street wasn't dangerous, but at this time of night, Kelly Rush preferred to be able to hear everything going on around her. Besides, she was a bit scared by the stories the people told about Roundstone Wood, even though she would never admit that to her father. 

She pulled the zip of her jacket up and pushed her freezing hands deep into her pockets. The light rain was wetting her long hair, making it cling to her face. 

“Seven things I like about you,“ Kelly sang in a whisper, because she couldn't stand the quiet. “Seven things I like about you. Yeah, you.“ 

There was the sound of snapping wood and she turned to the forest, noticing that it was suddenly looking more dangerous than before. 

“You're vain, your games, you're insecure, you love ...“ She stopped when she thought that she'd seen something move between the trees. Then she shook her head and squared her shoulders. “You love me, you like her ...“

Again that sound. Kelly was tempted to call her father and ask him to meet her half-way. She would even endure his _I told you so_ -speech. She knew that, being seventeen, she was old enough to walk home, but he doubted it. No, she wouldn't call him. She wasn't far from home by now.

“You make me laugh ...“ She walked by a digger and the sound of the rain hitting the machine drowned out her soft singing. A whisper joined hers and she stopped. She turned back to where she'd come from. There was no-one behind her, but she felt scared and she just knew, somehow, that she wasn't alone any more. 

“Oh, God,“ she whispered and, with trembling fingers, pulled her mobile out of her tight jeans. “Oh, God!“ She turned back to face the right direction and walked faster. Kelly heard a scream and dropped her mobile. She stumbled backwards and fell. And froze. In front of her, just a few metres away and surrounded by mist coming from the woods, was a strange woman. She was whimpering and crying and muttering something Kelly didn't understand. Kelly grabbed her mobile and slowly got up. “Hello?“ she asked. “Are y'alright?“

The woman fell to her knees and buried her head in her hands. She screamed something that was foreign to Kelly's ears. Kelly stepped towards her and then stopped once more. She wasn't one of her neighbours. Kelly knew everyone living in Coedwig Street.

“I don't understand you,“ she said. “D'ya understand me?“ She slowly approached the woman. “I've got a mobile. I could call an ambulance, ya know.“

The woman sobbed. Kelly stopped a few steps away from her, worried but careful. “Hello?“

The woman raised her head … and Kelly screamed.


	2. Chapter 2

**1.**

 

The shrill ring tone of his mobile dragged Ianto Jones out of his only recently found sleep. His hand found the phone on the bedside table and he answered without glancing at the caller ID. There was only one person who would call him at this time of night. 

"Jack?"

 _"I'm in front of your house. There's been a Weevil sighting in Splott. Come down."_ Jack was sounding far too awake. Just for a second, Ianto marveled at how unfair that was, but then he caught up with Jack's words.

He switched on the lamp on his bedside table. "A Weevil ...," he repeated, still a bit sleepy. 

Normally, Jack would call Owen, Gwen or Tosh to help him. Ianto fought his way out of bed and tripped into his jeans. Then he grabbed a sweater he'd left on the floor next to the bed. He would get properly dressed later, as soon as that Weevil was dealt with. He had one or two suits stashed away in the Hub for emergencies and they had showers there, too. Great showers. Great showers with really fancy showerheads for a secret underground base.

 _"I'm waiting."_ With that, Jack disconnected the call. Ianto shoved his mobile in his jeans pocket, switched off the alarm on his clock and allowed himself half a minute to splash his face with cold water before he grabbed his keys, donned his leather jacket and left his flat.

The black Torchwood SUV was waiting in front of his apartment building. Ianto dropped into the passenger seat and shut the door. Immediately, the comfortable warmth of the inside of the car drained the wet cold from outside out of his bones. Something clicked and he looked at Jack, who was studying a golden stopwatch.

"Four minutes, twenty-eight seconds."

Ianto groaned. He should have stayed in bed. Far away from night-active captains holding stopwatches.

He rubbed his face to chase away the last remains of sleep. "There's no Weevil in Splott, is there?"

"Faster than Owen and Gwen, but just that bit slower than Tosh." Jack threw him the watch and Ianto glanced at the antique piece. He sighed deeply and said, "I assume my training starts today, sir?"

Jack winked at him. "Yeah. I told you, you'd get an upgrade from general support to back-up agent, and I intend to keep that promise, and thanks to my training you'll be the best back-up agent Torchwood has."

"I'll be the only back-up agent Torchwood has, sir. Torchwood Two doesn't even have agents, Torchwood Four's still missing, Torchwood One's destroyed and Torchwood India's closed down."

"Just accept a compliment when I'm trying to be nice."

Ianto sighed and turned to look out the window. Jack's fingers brushed his hand and he asked, "Hungry? I know where to get a fantastic breakfast."

***

Jenna Miller shivered in the cold air outside and crossed her arms. She turned away from the dark forest looming on the other side of Coedwig Street while Emlyn stashed her suitcase in the boot of her car and slammed the lid shut. "I'll be back in three days," she said, brushing blonde locks out of her face. She kissed Jenna tenderly. "You know that you can call Gary if you need help."

Jenna nodded and cupped her prominent baby bump with her hands. Emlyn splayed her fingers over Jenna's belly to talk to her daughter. "And you be a good girl, and don't you dare to get born before mom's back, you hear me?"

Jenna smiled, caressing Emlyn's hair. "Don't worry."

Emlyn nodded, sighed reluctantly and got into her car. Jenna waved when she pulled away and sped off. She crossed her arms again and turned to go back inside. A noise behind her made her stop, and she looked back at the trees. She narrowed her eyes. Something was moving in the shadows. Jenna took a step back.

"Morning!" the voice of a man called.

She jumped and turned to face her neighbour, George. He was dressed in a suit and his normally mussed brown hair was tamed and neatly styled for once.

"Morning! Look at you, all mature," she answered, glanced at the forest one last time and shook her head. There was nothing there. The tales about Roundstone Wood were just that – tales – and she was old enough not to believe the rumours.

"I hate it, but what can I do? What about you? Already up at this time of the day," he asked and put his briefcase on the car to rifle through it.

Jenna nodded and turned to walk towards her house. "Emlyn had to leave for a meeting in Rome."

George nodded and watched Jenna enter her house.

George got into his car and pulled out of the driveway. When he glanced at the rearview mirror he thought that he could see a woman standing near the forest. He blinked, and when he checked again, she was gone.

***

 _Brad's Diner_ had opened in the late 70s. It was designed with a nostalgic American theme in mind – red padded seats and pastel-coloured tables, a black-and-white-tiled floor and walls painted in a soft yellow. Photographs of American cars and actors adorned the walls, there was a jukebox in one corner and stools at the bar for people to sit. The diner was open 24/7, well known for the greasiest food in Cardiff and, even though the diner was popular, the owners changed more often than the grease in the chip pan. The large windows faced a breathtaking view of the bay.

Jack and Ianto were sitting at one of the windows. At this time of day, the diner was almost empty. A bored waitress was trying to kill time by listening to the radio and an old man was sitting at one corner of the bar, reading the paper.

Jack stirred his coffee, watching Ianto adding salt to his scrambled eggs and sugar to his coffee. With a fork in one hand, Ianto finally looked up to give Jack a questioning stare. "Sir?"

"Nothing," Jack shook his head and smiled before clearing his throat and taking his own fork. He busied himself with eating his breakfast.

Ianto frowned. Then he began eating, much slower than Jack, and decided to ignore his stares. "By the way, we managed to retcon everyone in Jasmine's street. Tosh and I spent the whole afternoon making the people in the neighbourhood forget about the party. Instead, we gave them the memory of a car accident killing Jasmine and Roy-"

"Can we just not talk about that?" Jack asked, staring at him pleadingly. "We're having breakfast. Away from the Hub. We're not boss and general support officer."

Ianto raised his eyebrows. "And here I thought, I'm a back-up agent."

Jack laughed. "Right." 

He buttered his toast and pondered how to broach the subject he wanted to talk to Ianto about. Jack wasn't making a habit out of treating his co-workers to breakfast one at a time. He preferred to eat with the whole team gathered around the conference table in the Hub, but he knew that Ianto would never talk openly with the others present. He wasn't even sure if Ianto would talk with only Jack sitting across from him, but Jack had to talk to him. Ianto was working too much and he kept lingering in the shadows, away from the team. Owen was still worried about Ianto's health. Owen thought that Ianto wasn't eating enough, and Jack tended to agree with him. Ianto was too thin and he always seemed to be exhausted these days. Jack admitted to himself that it may not have been his best idea, under the circumstances, to wake Ianto before the sun even showed its face, but Jack knew, too, that Ianto managed to evade sleep even without Jack's help.

Now, all Jack had to do was to get Ianto to open up to him. Then they could think about how to tackle his problems. Easier said than done. Ianto was a private person and Jack – feeling like a cheater – had needed to dig deep into Ianto's file to find out something useful about him. The file seemed to be incomplete. Everything in it was pretty vague, and Jack kept asking himself if Torchwood One was to blame for that, or if Ianto had manipulated it. Nevertheless, he'd found a sister living in Cardiff, and that was everything he needed for now. They could talk about Ianto's file as soon as the situation was less tense.

Jack decided to broach the subject with a direct question. "How are you, Ianto?"

"Fine, sir."

"Huh," Jack said. The answer had come a bit too fast for his taste. A bit too formal and Ianto hadn't even looked at him. "Try that again."

Ianto only glanced at him before he focussed on cutting his eggs into small portions. "A bit tired."

"You're working a lot."

Ianto shrugged. Jack sipped his coffee and added, "One could think that you live in the Hub."

"I wouldn't be the first," Ianto answered with a smile.

Jack took a bite of his toast. "Someone has to guard the Rift," he said with his mouth full. He pointed his fork at Ianto's plate and swallowed. "Eat before it gets cold."

"Not every one of us has as healthy an appetite as you."

Jack raised his eyebrows. "Did you just insult me?"

"I wouldn't dare," Ianto answered, watching Jack shovel three forks of scrambled eggs into his mouth in record time. Jack knew that he tended to eat ... fast, but he'd learned that fast was better than not eating at all.

Jack swallowed. "Good thing, too. The last thing I need is another team member hating me."

Ianto ducked his head and created Scrambled Egg Mountain in the middle of his plate. 

Jack was all too aware of the fact that Owen, Gwen and Tosh thought that Jasmine could have been saved. They seemed to see Jack handing Jasmine over to the Fairies as a betrayal. Ever since it happened two days ago, they hadn't talked to Jack beyond work. Jack could understand why they were disappointed – he would have liked it better if they'd been able to help Jasmine, too – but Torchwood was just that, Torchwood. Or as he'd heard Yvonne Hartmann once say: We're not the Red Cross. 

Jack had never wanted to agree with her, but he could see why the late Torchwood leader had said it. Not everything went down smoothly. There were victims, and sometimes, those victims were innocent beings like children. That made it worse, but it couldn’t be helped. 

Jack knew that he'd done what he'd needed to do. The others would come around, too – soon. But Ianto ... Ianto hadn't been mad or disappointed. He knew what had happened, Jack had heard Tosh tell him, and then he'd kept on working as if nothing had changed. Jack knew that the others didn't understand Ianto's loyalty, especially after what had happened with Lisa. Jack didn't really understand it himself, but he and Ianto had reached a quiet understanding of sorts. Jack knew that Ianto had feelings for him. They both knew that it was more than affection, more than friendship. 

Jack hadn't tried to kiss Ianto again or to start something more than that. He was waiting for Ianto to take the first step, and tried to show him with gentle flirting that he was there if he wanted him. Truth was, he wanted Ianto, too. Even though the last time Ianto had shared his bed was now tainted by betrayal. Maybe even because of that fact – he wanted Ianto again, wanted him open and honest and with the certainty that Ianto was thinking only about him during sex. Because even though Ianto had admitted that he had feelings for Jack, Lisa was still hovering in the background and she had been every time they'd had sex.

Ianto cleared his throat. "They don't mean it like that."

"Really?" Jack asked. "They don't even talk to me since it happened."

"They'll understand that you had to do it. You always do what you have to do, even if it ... seems wrong in the first moment." Ianto turned his head away to look out the window at the bay that was still clouded by the dawn. He seemed sad and Jack had a vision of Ianto sitting like that in his flat, in the tourist office and in the archives – lonely by choice, but tired of it. He knew that Ianto was still grieving and feeling undeserving of his place on the team. Jack was still blaming himself about letting Ianto fall that far in the first place, about not paying attention. 

Jack tapped the back of Ianto's hand to get his attention and when Ianto turned to face him, Jack nodded. "Yeah, I always do what I have to do. Even though I might not like it." Jack was thinking back to how he'd ordered his team to kill Lisa. He'd had to do it, but that didn't make it any easier to meet Ianto's eyes afterwards. Ianto pulled his hand away and took his fork. He took a few bites of his eggs and toast. Jack was watching him attentively. "Can I ask you something personal, Ianto?" he asked.

"You're asking for permission?" Ianto asked with a small grin. 

Jack propped his forearms on the table. "There's mentions of a sister and her family here in Cardiff in your file. Are you talking to them?"

Ianto ducked his head and shook it. Jack tried to catch his eyes, but he failed. "You should," he said.

"I haven’t talked to Rhiannon since Canary Wharf. There was so much to do."

Jack frowned. "Didn't she call you?"

Ianto pushed his scrambled eggs around the plate. "My ... I lost my mobile in the battle and I left our flat in London immediately after to come to Cardiff with Lisa. I had to act fast."

Jack nodded in understanding.

Ianto smiled, a little helplessly. "It was so easy not to call. What was I supposed to say?"

"That you're alive," Jack suggested. Ianto shrugged and Jack wondered just how good the relationship between Ianto and Rhiannon was. "You should go to her. Take a few hours off and visit her."

"Jack, it's not ... we never were close."

"You should try to get closer, then. Family's important. I regret …" He stopped. "Believe me," he detoured. "It could help you to talk to someone, even if you can't tell the whole truth. I know from the Canary Wharf files that you gave up online counselling after the first session."

"As far as I know, we all did," Ianto answered bitterly. "UNIT paid those therapists ... they couldn't help us. Nobody can understand what happened there if they didn't see it."

"It was terrible," Jack said. "We were there after the battle, to get the technolgy and files from the archives and save them from UNIT." And Jack had hoped to see the Doctor there after he’d found out that he had been visiting Torchwood One when the attack had happened, but he'd been long gone.

Jack smiled encouragingly at Ianto. "Promise me to think about it, though," he said. Ianto nodded but Jack was sure that his decision to not see his sister was already made.


	3. Chapter 3

**2.**

 

When Gwen Cooper left the bathroom, her small flat smelled of scrambled eggs, bacon and burnt toast. She couldn't suppress a smile when she entered the living room and watched Rhys in the kitchen niche fussing at the stove. She ignored the empty space in the middle of the living room, where their couch and coffee table had stood. It was the last sign that the Fairies had been in their flat – that Torchwood had been there. Gwen had always treated work separate from her private life, especially now that she was hunting aliens for a living, but the chaos the Fairies had left – in her safe harbour – had proven to her that it wouldn't work forever. Fortunately, Rhys still believed that it had been a random breaking and entering.

She went to the kitchen and dropped a kiss on Rhys' lips before she sat down at the bar that separated the kitchen from the living room. She poured herself coffee. "You made breakfast." She smiled and glanced at her mobile. No messages. She put it on the counter and tucked her long hair behind her ears.

Rhys served them the food, and Gwen handed him the small basket in which Rhys had stashed the toast. He grinned. "Just for you," he said and Gwen answered him with another kiss before Rhys sat down.

"Thanks." She glanced at her mobile again.

"Leave that for a minute, okay?" Rhys asked, and took the mobile from her, laying it on the counter.

Gwen frowned. "Rhys, what if-"

"We can hear it, right?" he asked, and she sighed reluctantly but nodded. Torchwood was taking away a big chunk of the time she would normally spend with Rhys and he didn't like it. It was only fair that she would spend the few hours she was at home with him.

She sipped her coffee, and buttered some toast.

Rhys suddenly seemed to get a bit nervous. "Gwen," he said hesitantly.

"Yes?" She looked at him expectantly.

"We were planning on buying a new couch and coffee table."

"As soon as I get an afternoon off, I swear."

Rhys stirred his coffee. "I thought, maybe we could do something different."

“Different?” she asked.

“We've been together for a while now,” Rhys said. 

Gwen almost choked on her toast and stared at him wide-eyed. Oh, God, what if he was going to propose now … what would she say?

“And we should plan ahead for the future,” Rhys continued.

“Yes,” Gwen said carefully. She smiled weakly.

He nodded, obviously feeling he was on the right track. “So, let's … move into another flat.”

Gwen sighed in relief. “Move? Rhys, what are you on about? This flat's perfect and cheap.”

“It's tiny,” Rhys said with a frown.

“Big enough for the both of us.”

“Yeah, but maybe ...” He smiled hopefully. “... we'll need an additional room soon.” Gwen stared at him. Rhys grimaced. "I kinda thought you would be happy, but now, I'd be happy about any reaction at all," he said after a minute.

"You mean ... a baby?"

“Not right now,” he assured her. “I just thought … going through those catalogues with furniture, I kinda realized that we should renovate the flat, and then I thought we could just as easily move. It'd be a step towards the future. No pressure, Gwen. Just … a possibility.”

"I don't know if that's such a good idea."

He frowned. "Why not?"

“My job's exhausting. Moving would be a bit much at the moment.”

Rhys's eyes narrowed. “That's a stupid reason. Take a few days off.”

“It's not that easy,” she said.

“You don't want to,” he answered. In fact, Gwen didn't know what she wanted. She loved Rhys but a bigger flat would be … a promise. Her life was a mess at the moment and she didn't know if she could cope with such a promise.

She checked her watch. "I … let me think about it, okay? I gotta go to work." She grabbed her mobile.

Rhys followed her into the hallway. "Gwen, c'mon."

She took her jacket from the hanger and shook her head. "No, seriously. I gotta go. Give me time to think about it." With that, she left.

***

When Toshiko entered the Hub, Owen was already there. He was using one of his screens for research, another one to chat and the third was showing the morning news. A pretty reporter was posing in front of Buckingham Palace, explaining happily, _"The Queen's invitation to Harold Saxon is seen as a sign of her acceptance. Saxon's the hottest candidate for the coming elections. The United Kingdom reacted with enthusiasm when Saxon officially announced his intent to become the next Prime Minister a week ago. He's promising big changes and even went as far as to say that the country needs a doctor. Surveys affirm that the population agrees."_

Tosh draped her coat over the back of her chair, put down her bag and joined Owen at his station. She crossed her arms. "I kinda like him."

Owen seemed to notice her for the first time and looked up at her, asking, "Who? Saxon?"

"He's good."

Owen shrugged after a few seconds of staring at the screen. "Yeah. You're right."

The news presenter thanked the reporter and Owen closed the website. Tosh glanced at Jack's office. The blinds were drawn shut and the door was closed. She couldn't see if he was even in there. Drawn blinds were usually a bad sign. Jack was isolating himself. She didn't know if he was doing it because he was just in one of his moods today, or because the team was still mad at him. It could even be a combination of both.

Owen stretched his legs and laid them on his desk. His keyboard on his lap, his coffee on his desk, a bagel next to it and the new reports from Cardiff's morgues about suspicious deaths – Owen was obviously ready to start working. Tosh crossed her arms and leaned against his desk, next to his feet. "Is Jack in?" she asked.

"He's always in," Owen replied grumpily, glaring at the office. Tosh noticed movement in the shadows of the doorway between Jack's office and Owen's med bay. Then, Ianto entered the main Hub. He was carrying a big red bucket in hands clad with yellow gloves, and he would have looked a bit like a keeper, if it wasn't for the neat suit and the carefully arranged dark hair. Owen, sitting with his back to Ianto, didn't seem to have noticed him yet.

Tosh almost never got an opportunity like this. She winked at Ianto and asked Owen, "And is Ianto already in?"

Ianto gifted her with a faint smile, and quietly headed over to them.

Owen sighed. "Isn't he upstairs?"

Tosh shook her head, and Owen shrugged, saying, "Then he's downstairs feeding the Weevils."

By now, Ianto was standing just behind Owen and answered loudly, "Something I don't really need to do."

Owen startled and cursed, before he turned to glare at him. Tosh laughed and returned to her work station. Owen threw her a pouty look, then he raised his eyes to stare at Ianto. "How long have you been standing there?" Owen asked.

"A few minutes," Ianto answered.

"Super secret agent Owen Harper," Tosh teased. "And he didn't even notice."

Owen made a gesture that caused Ianto to clear his throat in a reprimanding way. He put the bucket, in which he'd carried the meat for the Weevils, on Owen's desk. "There's a problem with Stuart."

"Stuart?" Owen asked.

"It's not eating enough and what little it does eat, it throws up."

"Why should I care?"

"Because it’s odd, and possibly unhealthy. You’re the doctor, after all. You should examine it."

"We're not the RSPCA."

"It's acting odd, lethargic. Maybe it's got a tumor."

The entrance door rolled aside and Gwen entered the main Hub. "Morning!" she called. Tosh waved absentmindedly at her, already deeply engrossed in her work. Owen ignored her, and Ianto answered with a friendly “Good morning“, before he turned his attention back to Owen, who sighed deeply and looked impatiently at Ianto. "I should care because ...?"

"It could be something contagious," Ianto answered.

Sitting at her desk, Gwen asked worriedly, "What could be contagious?"

Owen rolled his eyes. "Stuart's having a cold and Ianto's panicking."

Gwen looked at Ianto, who was staring calmly at Owen, his face as impassive as ever. Gwen raised her eyebrows. "That's Ianto's panic face?" She shrugged. "Just take look at Stuart. It won't kill you."

Irritated, Owen hammered some words on his keyboard. "When did I become the Dr. Dolittle for Weevils?"

From his office door, Jack said, "Each and every one of our inmates is our responsibility. Weevils are sensitive and intelligent beings, so you're going to go down there and examine Stuart."

The mood was dampened immediately and everyone got quiet. Tosh focussed on her work, while Gwen stared at Jack with narrowed eyes. Owen snorted, got up and headed for the med bay to get his bag. Ianto turned to Jack. "Coffee, sir?"

"Thank you, Ianto," Jack answered with a nod. He returned to his office.

"Sensitive and intelligent ...," Gwen muttered. "Just like Jasmine was …”

Ianto threw her a sharp look and she ducked her head.


	4. Chapter 4

**3.**

 

The cells were damp and smelly. Gwen didn't like them and she tried to be down here as seldom as possible. The claustrophobic atmosphere wasn’t her only reason for avoiding the cells; she wasn’t fond of seeing the Weevils either. They stared eerily at everyone who dared visit them. Sometimes they charged towards the plexiglass wall as if they wanted to attack – their teeth in their ape-like faces bared and their claws sharp and dangerous. Sometimes they just sat in a corner, seemingly waiting – maybe for the perfect opportunity to strike. They were predators, they killed humans and Gwen didn't like them. That didn't mean that she wanted one of them to suffer.

Gwen tilted her head and looked at the Weevil they had dubbed Stuart through the transparent plastic that separated it from her and Owen.

"Why are they wearing those boiler suits?"

"What?" Owen asked, slightly distracted with rifling through his bag.

"Those blue boiler suits. Where did they get them?"

"No idea," Owen answered. "Once, we examined a suit we took off a dead Weevil. The fabric is alien, and there's a tracker sewn in on the inside. We don't have a translation for the information on the tracker, but Tosh is pretty certain it’s a bunch of numbers. Jack thinks that the Weevils broke out of a research facility of sorts and fell through the Rift. Or maybe they were sent through on purpose. Sometimes we find Weevils without suits, but most of them seem to be happy with theirs. Maybe they’ve worn them since birth. Stuart was naked when we caught it. We had a spare suit from a dead Weevil, Stuart's wearing it now."

Stuart gave one of the little moans that was part of the Weevils' vocabulary and got up to walk from one corner of the cell to the other. It was walking a bit slower than usual and immediately crouched down when it reached the corner, curling up there. 

Gwen sighed. “It really seems lethargic.”

Owen snorted. "It's been here for a long time. It's getting lazy. It's time to bring it back to the sewers. With a bit of luck, his imprisonment cured him of his tendency to eat dogs and nibble on their owners."

Gwen pulled a face. "You're gross."

Owen pressed his scanner against the plastic wall and answered, "Yep." He looked at the display. "It's not a tumor. There's no illness or abnormal tissue in him." He put the scanner away. "We'll have to sedate him. I need a blood sample." He loaded his tranquilizer gun. "All of this just for a healthy Weevil," he muttered. He pushed the gun's barrel through one of the holes in the plastic wall. "That's frustrating. This job's frustrating."

"Sometimes," Gwen agreed. "When we're unable to help." She watched the tranquilizer dart embedding itself in Stuart's thigh. Stuart squeaked and threw them an accusatory glance before pulling the dart out rather clumsily.

"You mean Jasmine?" Owen asked and handed Gwen the gun.

"Yes. We could have helped her if Jack wouldn't have done what he did. I keep asking myself who he is," she said thoughtfully.

"You're not the only one." He watched Stuart. "But we shouldn't talk about this down here. He already caught us once." The Torchwood software was equipped with an IM service, which the team used to send each other messages. Gwen had only recently found out about it – and the fact that it was used to gossip. Mostly, it was just herself, Owen and Tosh. Jack and Ianto didn't join them that much. Gwen thought that they were having separate conversations the team couldn't access. Jack had the necessary admin rights to open up private chats and to catch his colleagues gossiping about his past and the photographs in Estelle's house.

Gwen glanced at the CCTV camera in the corner and whispered, "But we all know that he has to be older than seventy, right?" She hadn't dared to mention the fact that Jack couldn't die to her team mates, yet. She felt as if she would abuse his trust by doing that. Plus, it was a secret only she knew about the mysterious captain, and that made her a bit proud.

Owen readied a cannula. "Yep, he's a sexy senior citizen," he answered, a bit distracted. “Now," he said, "please make sure I don't get eaten, and stop talking about him."

"Later then, in the pub?"

"If you're paying," Owen grinned.

***

The tourist office wasn't just Torchwood's cover – maybe the others thought that way, but Ianto didn't. To him, it was a sanctuary. The others rarely came here during working hours and since only a few tourists found their way here, he'd gotten used to being alone. He liked it that way. He'd never been one for parties. He went if Lisa begged him to join her, but usually, he preferred to stay away from nightlife. Too loud, too fast and too chaotic, and since a party he'd attended as a teenager had ended with him being charged for theft, he tried to stay away.

Ianto smiled at the pizza delivery boy and locked the door to the tourist office. Then he headed downstairs with the boxes. When he entered the main Hub, Gwen and Tosh looked up from their work and Owen ran towards him. "Finally!"

He made to grab the pizza, but Ianto turned away from him. He glanced at Owen over his shoulder reprimandingly, and headed for the metal stairs. "Jack wants us to eat in the boardroom." He ascended the stairs, sure that the team would follow him. He'd ordered lunch a little later than usual on purpose. The team's hunger would be bigger than the defiance against their leader by now. He entered the boardroom and put the pizzas in the middle of the table.

Jack was already sitting at the head of the table, reading a file. "Thanks, Ianto," he said with a smile. Owen stormed into the room and dropped into one of the chairs. He grabbed one of the boxes and opened it. Ianto snapped it shut and took it away.

Owen glared at him. "Oi!"

"That's Tosh's." Ianto served Owen his box. "A second longer won't kill you." He served Tosh her meal and smiled at Gwen, who muttered “Cheers“ in his direction, already busy digging in.

Jack watched his team, threw Ianto a questioning glance, and received a shrug as answer. Ianto and Jack focussed on their lunch for a few minutes, before Jack looked at his team again. "Seriously?" he asked, shattering a quiet that had been heading towards uncomfortable. "You're not going to talk to me at all?"

Gwen looked up from her meal. "Except about work."

"I made a decision," Jack said. "A decision I hate just as much you do, but I can't undo it. Jasmine wanted to leave. There was no other way."

Gwen threw her slice back into the box. "She was a child, Jack. You sacrificed a child."

"You think that I liked doing it?"

Ianto was watching the conversation, but he didn't talk. He wasn't hungry any more, but with Jack and Owen present, he couldn't stop eating. Both of them were on his case because of his weight, so he couldn't stop halfway through his lunch.

Owen didn't seem to be interested in him, though. He was busy glaring at Jack and snorting. "You love making the hard decisions."

"Someone has to do it. Or do you want to be the one who decides between a kid and the world the next time around?"

"That's the problem. She was a kid," Owen answered. "I'm not Mr. Sensitive, but with kids, it's different. The Fairies manipulated her. She didn't really want to go with them."

Jack pushed his pizza away. "What should I have done, Owen?"

"Make the really hard decision," Owen answered. "And say no."

"What would have happened then?" Jack asked. "Tell me."

Owen shrugged. "Everything we could to avoid the next step towards a full-blown war, Jack." He got up and took his pizza. "Because that would have been the hard decision. You took the easy way out. The kid didn't matter to you." With that, he left the room. Gwen cleared her throat, got up and followed him with her box. Jack let out a breath, and leaned back in his chair. He exchanged a glance with Ianto, before he looked at Tosh, who was staring at her pizza, silent. Jack cleared his throat and asked, "What about you, Tosh?"

She raised her head hesitantly. "I think it was the wrong thing to do. If we don't stop as soon as children are at stake, what does that make us?"

Jack ducked his head. Then he got up and left the room. Ianto let the silence reign for a moment, then he asked softly, "You're being a bit unfair, don't you think?"

Tosh shrugged, looking at him. "I don't know, Ianto. You should have seen Mrs. Pierce."

"I did," he reminded her. He'd given the Retcon to Jasmine's mother and talked to her while she was sleeping, implanting the memory of the car accident that had killed her daughter and Roy. Tosh had handled the party guests. He hated doing things like that, but he knew, that it was necessary. The people didn't understand what Torchwood was dealing with on a daily basis.

Toshiko sighed. “I just think we're going too far." She got up and left.

***

When Ianto entered Jack's office, the blinds were still drawn. The team had left a while ago, but Jack didn't seem to want to to give up his isolation. For a moment, Ianto thought about opening the blinds, but he decided against it, and stopped in front of Jack's desk. The desk lamp was the only source of light and since the harsh glow of the lamps in the main Hub was filtered through the blinds, the corners of the office were inhabited by shadows. The room was mirroring Jack's mood. Ianto knew just how hard the team's mistrust was hitting him. He was pretending not to care or to want to stand his ground, but he was hurting.

Jack was sitting in his chair, staring the screen of his computer. Ianto only glanced at it for a second, but it was long enough to make out a photograph of Jasmine's family. Ianto put a thermos with coffee on the table, and checked his watch. "Is there something I can do for you before I leave, sir?"

Now, Jack slowly turned his head to look at him, and gifted him with a lopsided grin. "That's a dangerous question."

Ianto smiled nervously, stepped around the desk, and sorted through the files lying open before Jack. Some of them were missing a signature, others were ready to be filed in the archives. Ianto arranged the first group by priority, and put them down in front of Jack in a neat pile. He stuck the others under his arm to take with him. Jack took Ianto's hand and he froze. Jack's fingers curled around his tightly and Jack's thumb started drawing lazy circles on the back of Ianto's hand. Ianto swallowed and met Jack's eyes which were teasing him with a look that, not too long ago, had meant that Ianto would spend the night in the Hub. In Jack's bed.

Jack leaned back in his chair, but he didn't let go of Ianto. "Do I get some time to think about the answer?"

Ianto swallowed and pulled his hand away. "Just because you can read extra things into a question, doesn’t always mean you should."

"You're a mystery, Ianto Jones."

"And you aren't?" Ianto asked, his eyebrows raised.

Jack laughed. "I'm always telling you exactly what I want to do, Ianto." He became serious. "You're flirting and then you suddenly draw back, and it's been that way for days. I'm just trying to find the reason."

Too much, too fast, and Ianto wasn't even sure if he still wanted it. He knew – they both did -, that Ianto had developed strong feelings for Jack, but Ianto wasn't really convinced if he wasn't trying to fool himself. He'd slept with Jack to keep Lisa a secret. How could he be sure that he wasn't still trying to protect something – this time himself? Because he didn't want to leave Torchwood.

Ianto pressed the files against his chest and avoided Jack's eyes. "Would that be all, sir?"

Jack looked at him for a long time, but then he nodded. "Yes, thank you."

Relieved, Ianto headed for the door. He was almost there when Jack called him back. "You know that you can talk to me, right?"

Ianto stopped and forced a smile in his direction. "I know, Jack."

***

Claudia Meyer wasn't really listening to her husband Don, who was sitting at the kitchen table behind her, complaining about an incompetent colleague. She was focussing on the dishes, and from time to time, she would glance at her reflection in the kitchen window, behind which the shadows of the dark garden were looming. She was considering if she should dye her hair blonde. Maybe Don would then finally realize that there was more to his life than his job.

"You know, it's not as if there weren't enough others vying for his job," Don said and turned the page of the newspaper. Claudia narrowed her eyes when she thought she'd seen something moving in their garden. Don sighed. "I told Mr. Henderson that we should fire Fred, but he said that we couldn't do that, because Fred's the boss' nephew. Imagine that, and we get fired for looking at the boss the wrong way."

There was something moving in the garden. Maybe it was the Rush's cat, Claudia thought, and tilted her head. Maybe it was an animal from Roundstone Wood. Whatever it was, it was moving towards the house. Claudia's eyes widened when the shadow took on a human shape. She opened her mouth to tell Don, but when the strange woman was suddenly standing directly in front of the window, looking at Claudia, she screamed, "Police! Call the police! There's someone in our garden."


	5. Chapter 5

**4.**

 

Ianto tilted his head and zoomed in on the young man sitting on the steps leading down to the oval basin on Roald Dahl Plass. It was already dark outside, but the surrounding lamps and the high-quality CCTV enabled him to see the man as clearly as if he was sitting there in broad daylight. He typed a command and leaned forward on his desk in the backroom of the tourist office. He narrowed his eyes to see better.

The young man was talking to someone on his mobile, and he kept laughing about whatever the other person was telling him. He was tall, athletic and attractive. Ianto tried to imagine talking to him. He imagined going out with him, and getting to know him, followed by a coffee and more in Ianto's flat. He didn't feel a thing. Then he imagined taking Jack back to his flat, and he blushed at the thought.

He watched the young man ringing off and leaving Roald Dahl Plass. Ianto closed the CCTV and took a second to berate himself for using it that way. He closed his tired eyes, crossed his arms on the desk and rested his head on them. It couldn't be that he was only into Jack, could it? One wasn't attracted to just one man. Ianto hadn't been attracted to just Lisa. The question was what that meant for him.

Ianto didn't like the answer.

***

Andy Davidson slammed the door of his police car shut and pointed his torch at the forest. The light reached the first row of trees, then it was swallowed by the shadows. He'd always thought that Roundstone Wood was creepy. He felt almost relieved that it was being felled to make place for more houses.

"I can't believe that we're still taking calls from this area," he said to his partner Gillian, who was looking around her mistrustfully. "It's the third time this week," he added morosely, looking down Coedwig Street. Neat houses for families, right out of the catalogue. The area was populated by people of the upper middle class. He wouldn't be able to buy a house like this with his pay.

Gillian adjusted her cap, nodding in agreement. She reminded Andy of Gwen. Similar build, similar height, dark hair and green eyes. She had the same rough humor, and she didn't hesitate to let everyone know that patrol duty was only a stopover on her way to the higher pay levels, but he liked her.

Gillian sighed deeply. "It would be better if we catch her soon."

"You think that there really is someone?" Andy asked while they were slowly walking down the street. "The descriptions seemed a bit ... odd."

"I really hope you won't kill me for saying this," Gillian said, "but we're after that woman for days and we didn't even find the smallest trace of her. Maybe we should consult Torchwood. Sounds like the kind of thing they're interested in."

Andy snorted. "Torchwood," he said snidely. "My ex-partner works for them. Doesn't even know we exist any more."

"Jealous?" Gillian asked with a smile.

They heard a sob and froze.

"Hello?" Andy asked.

The icy wind carried words towards them, but they were so indistinct that they couldn't understand them. Andy stepped closer to Gillian, who had one hand on the baton in her belt. "Was that English?" Gillian asked.

"No idea," Andy answered breathlessly. He grabbed Gillian's arm when a woman appeared out of nowhere some feet away. She was standing in the middle of the street, her head ducked.

"Miss?" Andy asked. "Are you alright?"

The woman sobbed and whispered something that they couldn't understand.

Gillian asked, "Miss, do you speak our language? Can you understand us?"

Andy grimaced when the cold wind made him shiver. The whole situation was more than a bit creepy. The woman was only wearing a thin white dress, but Andy could see that the night's cold wasn't bothering her since she didn't seem to be shivering. Gillian stepped forwards, but Andy held her arm. "Are you daft?"

Gillian looked at him with a challenge in her eyes. "We're obligated to make sure that she's okay." Slowly, she made her way over to the woman. Andy cursed, then he followed her hesitantly. Gillian raised both her hands as if to calm down a horse. "Miss, my name's Gillian Ford. I'm with the police. What is your name?"

Andy swallowed nervously. The woman had skin the color of mud and she kept staring at the ground, making her dark, stringy hair hide her face. She was crying softly. Andy shook his head, and took Gillian's arm again. "I don't like this."

"Me, neither."

Suddenly, the woman stopped crying. Instead, she raised her head. When milky white eyes looking out of a wrinkled face met his, Andy stumbled backwards, startled. She had a crooked nose above thin lips seemingly devoid of blood, and her body was bent forwards slightly. One of her huge hands pointed at Andy and Gillian, before she let out a high-pitched scream that made the constables cry out in pain. Then she was gone. Andy and Gillian were panting, dazed, then Gillian hit Andy in the chest. "That wasn't human. Under no circumstances was that woman human!" She sounded panic-stricken. "I told you that we have to call Torchwood!"

***

It was Torchwood's leader who caused Andy to doubt them. Something about him was off. When he introduced himself, he made it sound like the beginning of a seduction. The long coat that – Andy had googled it – looked like one of the RAF coats out of WW2 and the braces – who the hell was wearing braces these days? - were just intensifying the mystery. And then that perfect, large smile, the eyes sparkling with superior amusement ... he was charming and attractive, Andy had to admit that much. Attractive in a way that had to involve cosmetic surgery. Attractive in a way that had women blush and men stutter nervously whenever the captain gifted them with his attention. Andy didn't like him.

To the police, Jack Harkness was bad news - officially. But Andy couldn't count the times he'd heard the female colleagues gush over Harkness.

The black Tochwood SUV stopped with squealing tires just behind the police car and Harkness jumped out of it gracefully. Gwen got out on the passenger side. Andy suppressed the smile that wanted to spread out on his face when he saw her. He was still mad at her for leaving him in the dust and getting recruited by Torchwood. Not only that: He'd asked her several times if there was a job open at Torchwood for him, only to receive a _No, sorry. Not at the moment_ in response, and he couldn't quite believe that. He knew that, aside from Harkness and Gwen, there were only three other team members working for the institute. The unfriendly doctor, the Asian girl and a young bloke in a suit, who accompanied the team only seldom and who was always walking one step behind Harkness on the rare occasion the captain visited the police station. There just had to be a vacancy. Maybe Gwen didn't want to work with him again.

Gwen and Harkness joined Andy and Gillian who were leaning against their car. Andy nodded at Gwen, trying not to let any emotions play out on his face that would let her see that he'd missed her. "Gwen Cooper, this is Police Constable Gillian Ford."

The women nodded at each other. Harkness grinned at Gillian and offered his hand. "Captain Jack Harkness."

She accepted the handshake, blushed and smiled nervously. Andy rolled his eyes until Harkness turned his bright smile to him and took his hand. "Gwen told me so much about you, Police Constable ... Davidson was it, right?"

It sounded as if he was flirting. Andy refused to smile and just nodded sharply. Harkness stepped a bit closer and Andy pressed back against his car. Harkness' smile softened. "But she didn't tell me anything about how cute you are."

Gwen groaned in irritation. "I think that's enough," she said. Andy snatched his hand away and avoided the captain's teasingly sparkling eyes. He focussed on Gwen, who was looking at him questioningly. "What's going on here?"

Gillian answered, "We don't know, really. Everyone in the precinct knows that mysterious is your kind of thing."

Harkness raised one hand to his ear and activated the comm link that Andy noticed only now. "That's true," he answered and then he said, "Ianto, you there?"

Gwen asked, "What did you see?"

Andy looked at Gillian. He still wasn't sure if bringing in Torchwood had been a good idea. Gillian reported, "We were taking a look around the neighbourhood, because someone complained about a woman breaking into the gardens and harassing the residents."

Andy grinned crookedly. "Nothing new for Cardiff."

Gwen smiled about the old insider joke. Gillian continued, "Well, we were walking down the street. We thought that maybe there were youths climbing around on the construction machines, getting just a bit too excited."

Harkness glanced at the digger and the lorries standing next to the forest. Gillian crossed her arms. "Then we saw her. The woman."

Harkness put his hands on his hips and became serious. "How did she look?"

"Scruffy. Dark hair, strange dark skin. She ... I think she was crying."

Gwen frowned. "Crying?"

Andy added, "And she said something, but we couldn't understand her."

Every trace of flirtation had fled Harkness' face by now. "What kind of language?" he asked.

"It was indistinct ..." Andy looked at Gillian questioningly. "But it couldn't have been English."

"You got that, Ianto?" Harkness asked his comm link. After receiving an answer, he looked at Gwen. "He's researching in the data base as we speak."

Gwen turned back to Andy and Gillian. "The neighbours complained about her?"

Andy nodded. "Yeah. That's why we're here."

Harkness looked around him, and Andy noticed that his eyes kept lingering on Roundstone Wood before he looked straight at him. "Regularly?" Harkness asked. "Always around the same time of night?"

Andy shook his head.

Harkness turned away, heading back to the car. He spoke into his comm link, "What have you got, Ianto?"

Gwen smiled at Andy and Gillian. "Thanks for calling me. We're looking into it."

"Keep us in the loop," Andy said, knowing that they wouldn't. Gwen nodded, gave a short smile and followed Harkness.

***

Gwen thought that Jack's face seemed a little pale in the light of the streetlamps sliding past. He was staring at the street, his hands wound tightly around the wheel. She wondered what was going on in his head. She couldn't guess whether he knew more about this situation than he wanted to admit, and her chest tightened painfully at the thought that he was keeping something from her - again. Jack insisted that no one should keep secrets from him, but he never told anything about himself. 

His soft voice startled her from her thoughts. 

“I'll drop you off at your flat,“ he said. 

She nodded gratefully and turned to look out of the passenger window. Rhys had been mad when her mobile had rung that late in the evening again. Even more so because she'd left him shortly after. She was sure that Jack would have preferred to take Owen or Tosh along, but Andy hadn't called him but Gwen directly. She'd been a little surprised when Jack had told her that Ianto would wait at the Hub and research their findings in the database as soon as they knew what was going on. She'd thought that he would have left already, like everyone else, but one couldn't be sure if Ianto left the base at all since coming back to work a few weeks ago. 

The silence in the car was making it hard to breathe and since they were still twenty minutes away from Gwen's flat, she asked, “What do you think we're dealing with?“

“Ianto didn't find anything in our database. Could be just an echo.“ Jack's voice was business-like. Sometimes, Gwen was a bit creeped out by how not surprised he was by what they were encountering. Even Owen, Ianto and Tosh were still amazed or astonished by their cases, but Jack seemed to have lost that. Of course he was with Torchwood for a long time now, Gwen reminded herself. Nevertheless, she hoped that she would never be that dulled by the job.

She asked, “What's that?“

“Time's separated by a thin veil. Sometimes, it tears, enabling us to see something that has happened a long time ago. For just a few seconds. It's like watching the past happen all over again, but the past can't see us.“ He grinned. “People who witnessed echoes describe them as ghosts.“ He took a turn. “Echoes are always there, but not always visible. If you think that you're hearing things or seeing people that aren't there, or if you think that you aren't alone, even though you are-“

“Ghosts,“ Gwen said. “Just like with that machine a few months ago.“

“Old buildings are prone to experiencing strong echoes. They've seen so much that the veil gets tears more easily.“

“The ghosts in castles,“ Gwen said.

“Yeah,“ Jack answered. “Isn't it great what you can learn about the world while working for Torchwood?“


	6. Chapter 6

**5.**

 

The dead, naked Weevil on Owen's examination table wasn't Gwen's idea of a perfect morning. Not after spending a mute breakfast with Rhys glaring at her over his bacon and scrambled eggs, obviously having a mental rant about the furniture, the flat issue and Gwen's work.

Owen was staring at the Weevil as if he couldn't decide where to start with the autopsy. Jack had found the alien dead in its cell just this morning. Owen knew by now that it hadn't died from an illness, and now he was keen to find out what had caused its death. This Weevil had only been Torchwood's guest for three days - it hadn't even been given a name yet. 

Tosh was standing next to Gwen on the upper level of the med bay. They were leaning against the railing, watching Owen work. Gwen propped her head up on one hand. “Seriously … where does Jack come from? He knows all that stuff, he … he's different.“ Gwen thought that her question deserved an answer. She knew that he couldn't die, but he didn't tell her much more than that, and whenever she was trying to find out more about him, he shut her out. With Tosh and Owen's help, she might be able to find out more.

Owen rolled his eyes. “Stop it, okay?“ he said. 

Tosh nodded. “Asking questions has always been pointless. Believe me, we tried.“

Gwen wasn't ready to give up. “He's got to be older than seventy, but he doesn't look any older than thirty-five, and I thought we agreed yesterday that he acts a bit weird sometimes.“

Tosh winked at Gwen. “Owen acts a bit weird sometimes, too.“

“Oi! I can hear you,“ Owen answered, deciding on the classic Y-shaped incision in the chest. “You're trying to tell us, Gwen,“ he said, using a big bone scissor to cut through the ribs, “that he's an alien.“ 

“That would explain why he looks so young,“ Gwen said. _'And that he can't die,'_ she added mentally. Owen started to cut through the ribs. Tosh pulled a repulsed face. Gwen crossed her arms. “I'm just saying,“ she shrugged. “He could try to be a bit more honest with us. We have no idea who he is.“

Owen sighed. “That's right.“

Tosh drummed her fingertips against the railing. “Suzie and I had a theory: He fell through the Rift.“

Gwen's eyes widened. “You think that's possible?“

“Yes,“ Tosh answered. “He could come from the 30s, and landed here through a time displacement.“ 

Gwen narrowed her eyes. “That would mean that there shouldn't be any records about him – between the 30s and the 90s.“ 

Owen raised his head to look at her. “Off you go. Research it. Then I can finally autopsy without you rambling on about him.“

Gwen flipped him the finger. As she thought about it, she realized Tosh’s theory could be right, and maybe, falling through the Rift could be the explanation for Jack's immortality, too. She decided to do some research. 

Owen removed the heart with more glee written all over his face than Gwen thought was appropriate. She sighed and breached the topic that was bothering her the most, “I can't stop thinking about Jasmine. He's making decisions without explaining to us what's going on.“ 

Tosh cleaned her glasses with her sweater. “He expects us to trust him.“

“Without asking questions?“ Gwen asked and shook her head. “No, not with me. Who's to say that we couldn't have stopped the Fairies some other way?“

Someone standing behind them cleared his throat, and they turned to see Ianto in the doorway to the med bay, holding a file. “1239 – a devastating earthquake in today's Russia was noted. A lot of villages got destroyed. A legend says that the gods were upset because the people wouldn't sacrifice a child. 1434 – Spain: A man killed his son to prevent him from going with a group of demons. His home town was completely destroyed by a flood and everyone living there died. 1439 – something similar happened in today's Germany. 1893, London: Beings with wings were seen, demanding a child. The parents didn't want to hand it over, and the beings tore down the house, killing everyone living within. 1908, India: A boy reported that his brother was destined to be sacrificed to winged gods. When his parents refused, they were killed by lightning and the family's farmhouse was destroyed by a flood. The boy was the only survivor. 1945, Ohio: A family shot their youngest daughter, which resulted in the city being destroyed. It was rumoured that aliens wanted to take her with them.“ He raised his head.

There was a moment of absolute silence, then Owen sneered, “History class. How nice.“

Ianto stared at him, a hint of reproach in his eyes, but his face was as impassive as always. “Jack had his reasons for sacrificing Jasmine. He didn't do it because he enjoyed it or because he wanted to or because he didn't care, but because there was no other way.“

Tosh, Owen and Gwen looked at him silently. Gwen glanced at Tosh and noticed that she was looking insecure. She crossed her arms stubbornly. Unimpressed by her defiant stance, Ianto continued, “And you should trust him because he knows what he's doing. Because he would do everything to protect this city. Because he's our leader.“ He ducked his head for a second, and added a bit softer, “And the most important reason: Because he deserves our trust.“ Ianto gave each of them a look. “I think all of you can remember at least one time where you needed him and he trusted you without asking why.“

Gwen ducked her head, a bit embarrassed. Jack had never asked her not to tell the team about his immortality. He just trusted her not to do it, even though he didn't really know her that long. 

Ianto seemed to take the silence as confirmation of his words. “And now he needs our trust without you asking questions. We may not like it, but letting Jasmine go was a necessary evil. Jack would have stopped her if he could have, and I think, all of you know that.“ He smiled bitterly. “We can't always win.“

Owen ascended the steps and stopped next to Gwen. He jutted out his chin. “And you of all people trust him? After everything that's happened?“

Ianto swallowed and Gwen noticed that he was working hard on choking down his grief. “We can't always win,“ he repeated. Then he turned away and left the med bay. Owen, Gwen and Tosh glanced at each other uncertainly. Owen brushed a hand through his hair and returned to his autopsy. Gwen turned her back to the door, watching him again. 

Beside her, Tosh leaned her arms on the railing and cleared her throat softly. “I think he's right.“

Owen shrugged. “Doesn't matter,“ he said. Gwen saw him swallow and squeeze his eyes shut for a second, and she was pretty sure that he was remembering all the times Jack had had his back. The last time had only been two weeks ago. Jack had forgiven Owen when he'd tried to manipulate his colleagues with enhanced mental powers, he'd forgiven him for almost killing Ianto in the process. He hadn't even suspended him, but accepted that Owen had been a victim as well. 

Gwen tried to ignore the thought that Ianto was right, because what had happened with Jasmine was different, but she couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't.

***

Jack thought that the team was a bit more friendly towards him when he summoned them to the boardroom. That didn't make the briefing go any easier, mainly because they had no idea what they were dealing with in Coedwig Street. 

Tosh, Owen and Gwen were sitting right and left of Jack, who'd claimed the seat at the head of the table as he always did. Ianto had served them coffee, but then he'd excused himself to go back to work in the tourist office. By now, the mugs were empty or the remaining coffee cold and Owen, hating long briefings, was getting twitchy. Jack decided to put an end to the meeting. “To be completely honest,“ he said, “I'm not sure if it's a Torchwood matter, but there's nothing more urgent happening so we better make sure. We'll interview the residents.“

Gwen raised a hand to catch Jack's attention, and he nodded at her. She leaned on the table and propped her head up on one hand. “Andy sent me a list with the addresses of everyone who's seen something.“

“That'll make things easier,“ Jack said. “Send it to Ianto. Tell him to print it out. I'm going to pick it up after the briefing. There's no need for him to come down here.“

Gwen pulled one of the laptops closer to send the e-mail. Jack turned to Tosh who was sitting next to him with her laptop and a few pages of paper filled with complicated equations.

“Are there any Rift activities near the neighbourhood?“

She shook her head. “My scanners didn't pick anything up.“

“Fine, then we're done for now.“ He turned to Owen. “Did you find out why that Weevil died?“

“Heart attack,“ Owen answered. 

Jack raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Seriously?“ 

“Maybe it was sensitive. Maybe we overwhelmed it and died of stress,“ Owen answered with a shrug.

“What about Stuart?“

“Nothing yet. I made the autopsy my priority to make sure that nothing dangerous is on the loose in the Hub. I'll get to Stuart's blood samples first thing tomorrow. Maybe today if we don't take too long with the interviews.“

“Good,“ Jack nodded. “We're leaving in ten minutes. Meet me at the car.“

His team got up to get their things.

“Owen, just a minute, please,“ Jack said and Owen stayed behind while Gwen and Tosh left the boardroom with their laptops. Jack put his hands on his hips and stepped closer. “You did Ianto's check-up today?“

“Yeah.“ 

“How is he?“

Owen sighed deeply and leaned against the table. He crossed his arms and put on his doctor-face. Focussed and competent.

“As far as I can tell, he's okay. His blood pressure's a bit high, but not overly so. The only problem I see is his weight – again.“

Jack drew his eyebrows together. “He hasn't gained any?“

Sighing, Owen shook his head. Then he said, “He hasn't lost any, either. Maybe we're reaching the turning point, but he needs to eat more and regularly. Did you see the inside of his fridge?“

Jack crossed his arms. “During his suspension.“

“I'm not Jamie Oliver – my stove is more of a decoration – but Ianto's fridge scared me.“ 

Jack remembered. Water, juice, eggs and milk. He was already trying to keep an eye on Ianto's intake of food but it wasn't easy. Since Ianto was back at work, Jack hadn't been to his flat, and other more important issues had come up.

“I'm going to take care of it,“ Jack said. “I'll talk to him.“

Owen nodded. “Sounds like a plan.“ He pushed away from the table and headed for the door. There he froze and turned back around. He seemed to hesitate for a moment. 

Jack raised his eyebrows, curious. “Yes?“ 

“We don't get why you did it, and we don't like it,“ Owen said. He caught Jack's eyes and spoke slowly, as if he wanted to make sure that there were no misunderstandings. “But we decided to trust that it was the right thing to do.“

Jack nodded slowly. “Thank you.“ 

Owen gifted him with a tense smile. “Just look at it as a _Get out of jail_ -card, but, Jack … you have to get used to talking to us. We can't just accept everything you're throwing at us.“

Jack nodded. “I'll take note of it. Thanks, Owen.“


	7. Chapter 7

**6.**

 

Ianto said goodbye to three Japanese students. They waved at him and left the tourist office, giggling shyly. Ianto waited for a few more seconds to be sure, then he unlocked the secret entrance to the Hub. The door opened immediately. Jack, wearing his coat and determination, was already waiting behind it. “That took a long time,“ he said, entering the office.

“There aren’t many tourists that come here, but those who do, I’d like to help as much as I can,“ Ianto answered, arranging some flyers on the stand. Then he went to the backroom and returned with a neatly printed page. He glanced at it as if to make sure that everything was in order, then he handed it over to Jack. “The addresses.“

“Thanks, Ianto,“ Jack answered and glanced at the page. He pulled a face. “That many, huh?“

“Twenty-one, sir.”

Jack sighed, irritated. “That's going to take the whole afternoon.“ He folded the page and put it in his coat pocket. “I rerouted all the calls to my phone to your mobile.“

Ianto checked his watch and then his mental To Do-list. He would lock up the tourist office soon, clean up the boardroom, feed the Weevils and Myfanwy and call the PM's secretary. He nodded to himself, then he noticed that Jack was staring at with an amused smile.

“Sir?“ 

“The mental To Do-list,“ Jack grinned. “I love it when you do that. You always seem so focussed.“ 

Ianto raised his eyebrows. “Am I not always focussed, sir?“

Jack shrugged. “Yeah, but you're always hiding it so well. How come you love mental To Do-lists so much?“

Ianto bit his lip, then he tried to hide the gesture, but Jack had already seen it. "Sensitive topic? Sorry."

"No, sir. It's alright." Silence descended for a moment, then Ianto said, "I thought about ordering pizza. You could warm it up when you get back later than dinner time."

Jack shrugged. "If this will take as long as I think it will, I'll send everyone home."

"I see," Ianto answered. "I'll order one for you then."

"And you," Jack answered heading for the door. "Get the firing range ready when you're done here."

Ianto nodded. Jack stopped and turned back around. "You don't have anything planned tonight, do you?"

"My date book is empty," Ianto answered with a small smile.

***

Gwen thanked Jeffrey Rush for serving her tea, and leaned back on the couch in the cosy living room. She sipped at the mug while Jeffrey sat down next to his daughter Kelly on the couch opposite her. Kelly Rush was seventeen and obviously thrilled to be questioned by someone with a badge.

"So, I'm walking home. No problem there, right? The street's not dangerous and I'm into karate." She sipped her coke. "Then there's that woman, y'know. On the street. Crying."

***

"In our garden," Claudia Meyer said, and Tosh gifted her with an understanding nod. She tried to find a more comfortable way to sit on the designer couch without giving away that she was in agony from just perching on it. The Meyers' house was more of an exhibition for modern art and weird furniture than a home.

Claudia's husband Don was standing behind her, his hands on her shoulder, while she continued, "She was staring at me. She was ugly, like one of those creatures out of a cheap horror movie." She grimaced at the memory and pushed an errant lock of red hair out of her face. "I screamed."

Don nodded. "I was scared to death," he said. "I joined her and looked out of the window, there she is. She was crying, and she was screaming something but I couldn't understand her."

***

George Peterson shook his head and leaned against the glass of his porch door. He was staring out to the small garden thoughtfully, then he turned back to Jack who was standing in the middle of his living room. George sighed. "I keep seeing her. Whenever I go to work or bring out the trash."

Jack narrowed his eyes. "Since when?"

"A few weeks," George said, frowning, and then he said, "I know even better – almost two months. Emlyn, my neighbour, was away on a business trip, and her wife Jenna called me. She said that something was in her garden. That was the first time I saw her."

***

"George came over immediately," Jenna explained, caressing her prominent baby belly. "I would have called Tommy – the baby's father – but he was on vacation with his boyfriend."

Owen leaned back into the couch. There was a photograph of Jenna and her spouse on the sidetable. They were a cute couple, Owen thought. His mind strayed to the photographs of him and Katie and he wondered where he'd put them. He hadn't wanted to display them in his flat, but ... he cleared his throat. "What happened then?"

"Nothing," Jenna answered. "She just kept staring at us, crying. She said something."

"What?" Owen asked.

"I'm not sure," Jenna said hesitantly, "Emlyn's so much better at this than I am, but …" She sighed. "It could've been Welsh."

***

Ianto rarely went to the firing range. After he started working for Torchwood Three, Jack had taken him down here to see what Ianto was capable of, and even though he was only General Support, he knew that Jack expected him to at least practice sometimes. The vaults were a perfect place to do that. Ianto had read in the files that the firing range was originally planned as a city project in the 50s. The city council had wanted it to be a tunnel leading from Cardiff under the Mouth of the Severn to Clevedon, but the project had been dropped after the construction had already started. Torchwood had made use of the abandoned tunnel by expanding the base to include it.

Ianto liked shooting, but only on the range. The thought of actually having to shoot someone or something while in the field made him nervous. More nervous than he wanted to admit to Jack, who was currently busy spreading out different guns from their amory on a small table. Both of them were already wearing the protection goggles, the coloured glasses were casting a yellow hue on everything. The goggles didn't fit and kept sliding down Ianto's nose. He pushed them up. "You don't think it's an echo, then?" he asked, putting on the earmuffs.

Jack mirrored him, then he said into the mike, "She's interacting way too much for that." His voice sounded tinny and strange through the earmuffs. He handed Ianto one of the guns the team was always wearing in the field and ammunition. Ianto loaded the gun and pointed at one of the cardboard Weevils. He shot three times and smiled to himself when they all reached their targets. Jack was impressed. "Great." He took the weapon from Ianto and put the safety on. "But we knew that already. Let's try something different."

While he was contemplating which weapon to hand Ianto next, Ianto decided to continue their talk. "I searched our database - nothing. I searched UNITs database - nothing. I searched Wikipedia and Google."

"Nothing?" Jack assumed.

"Too much nonsense, sir," Ianto answered. "Too much to really deduce what's real and what's not. There are too many ghost stories about women in white dresses out there."

Jack took a new weapon from the table and Ianto's eyes widened. It was big and bulky, and Jack had to hold it with both hands. A strap was attached to it just as black as the weapon's metal. Ianto stared at Jack. "Is this ..." He stopped.

Jack grinned, obviously happy about the reaction he'd gotten out of Ianto. "Yeah. The gun Owen spent a week gushing over after I allowed him to shoot with it. A Kailan D-65 laser weapon. One of the most powerful weapons out there. It's similar to a bazooka." He stepped up to Ianto. "You never used it, right?"

"No," Ianto answered. "I only have standard training."

"Let's change that," Jack answered. He held onto the weapon with only one hand and used his right one to drape the strap over Ianto's shoulders. "It's heavy," he warned and handed the gun over. It was. Ianto grimaced and tried to find a better grip on the weapon.

"Here." Jack showed him where to place his hands. "Gwen was having problems with it. Tosh was barely able to hold it properly." He smiled. "Their hands are too small."

"I wonder if the builder was trying to compensate for something," Ianto said and Jack laughed.

His hand brushed Ianto's back to straighten out the strap, just so. He was close enough for Ianto to be able to smell his aftershave. Jack hadn't used any, until Suzie had given him one a few weeks after Ianto's employment. _"It reminded me of you,"_ she'd said. He was still using it now. It smelled of wood and leather and it was perfect for Jack.

Jack stopped his adjusting. "I almost forgot to thank you," he said suddenly.

Ianto shook of his thoughts. "What for?" he asked.

Jack stared into his eyes and Ianto realized that he was starting to blush, but he didn't look away, just kept returning Jack's gaze curiously. Jack gifted him with a small smile. "The others are talking to me again. I think you had something to do with that."

Now, Ianto turned his head away and stared into the tunnel, embarrassed. Jack waited and when Ianto looked at him, he asked, "How did you manage that?"

"Statistics," Ianto answered. "Research."

"Spoken like an archivist," Jack laughed. His lips caressed Ianto's temple. "Thank you." Then his body heat vanished and Ianto breathed a silent sigh of relief.

"Try it out," Jack said and Ianto raised the D-65 to point it at one of the targets. He shook his head and lowered it. The strap cut into his shoulder.

"My hands are shaking too badly. It's too heavy."

"There's a trick," Jack answered. "I taught everyone of you the art of shooting and you're all so elegant," he grinned and stood behind Ianto. “That's good, but it's not about being elegant with this gun.“ He put his hands over Ianto's and pushed the D-65 down until Ianto thought that his knees would give out. Jack's breath caressed Ianto's neck, and he closed his eyes for a moment. He didn't understand how Jack could evoke these feelings in him, and he didn't feel comfortable with it.

Softly, Jack said, “Put all the weight on the strap. Hold the gun here. Near your hip. Don't even try to lift it. Or to prop it against your shoulder. The recoil would dislocate it.“ One of his hands touched Ianto's hip. “Spread your legs a bit more.“ 

Ianto tried to convince himself that he was blushing because of the exertion. Not because Jack was standing behind him, and his breath was caressing Ianto's skin, or because he was touching him. Or because he could still smell him.

He didn't have to turn his head to know that Jack's face was next to his. Jack's mouth directly next to his ear.

“Bend your knees a bit to cushion the recoil. Then take aim and shoot.“

Ianto kept his voice just as soft as Jack's, “I can't aim that way.“

“Of course you can,“ Jack said and there was laughter in his voice. “It works, trust me.“ He let go of Ianto's hip, and the place where it had been felt cold. “I'm right behind you, only a step away.“

Ianto tried to aim at one of the Weevils in the front row. He disabled the safety and pushed the weapon down to put its weight on his shoulder, then he shot. He gasped in surprise when he stumbled a step backwards. Jack's hands on his shoulders stopped him, and Ianto heard him laugh. Ianto looked at the target. The head was missing.

“Perfect,“ Jack said.

“I was aiming for the chest,“ Ianto answered.

“You just need practice,“ Jack replied. His fingers dug into Ianto's back muscles, and his voice got softer and deeper. “You alright?“

Ianto nodded with difficulty. Jack's fingers burrowed deeper into his flesh, starting a massage.

“You're tense,“ Jack said.

“The weapon's heavy.“ To his own ears, Ianto's voice was sounding pathetically weak, and he cleared his throat.

Jack made a consenting noise and suggested, “I could give you a real massage later.“ 

Ianto swallowed. His heart was beating faster. It was an invitation, and his body wanted to accept. He knew what Jack wanted out of this – sex without any strings attached -, but he didn't know if he was ready for this. Insecurity poisoned his feelings, and his trembling hands tightened their grip around the weapon. He didn't know if he wanted Jack at all. He wasn't gay, but they'd already done it and he'd liked it, so he must want to do it again. That was logical. But he was scared. Scared to let someone come close again. He'd always had difficulties with letting people in. Even his sister and her family weren't close, and Jack didn't even know him. He didn't know who Ianto really was, in his most private moments, since Ianto had always kept them from him. He was complicated and … exhausting, Lisa had called it. _“Sometimes, you can be so exhausting, Ianto!“_ Then she'd smiled, kissed him and embraced him. _“But that's okay.“_

He closed his eyes. It was too soon. He couldn't do this. Ianto took a small step forwards, away from Jack's hands. “Sexual harassment, sir,“ he whispered.

Jack's voice was calm, not angry or disappointed, when he asked, “That's a no?“

“It's not a yes.“

Jack retreated. “Okay,“ he said. Ianto didn't know if he should explain himself, but he felt so ridiculous. “Let's continue,“ Jack suggested. Ianto nodded gratefully.


	8. Chapter 8

**7.**

 

Rhys was usually a very calm person. He was proud of his ability to always keep focussed and not lose it, but this situation with Gwen was getting on his nerves, making him twitchy. He blamed Torchwood and that bloke who was always calling Gwen – even in the middle of the night – and whose orders she followed without asking why. He was her boss, Rhys knew that, but there were limits, even with secret organisations. He was sure of that. 

Now she was sleeping next to him in their bed, peaceful and innocent, as if she hadn't tried to avoid the flat issue and the future topic the whole evening. Not only that, Gwen was avoiding their whole relationship, and Rhys was getting the feeling that Jack was to blame. Gwen always smiled when she took his calls. 

Rhys knew that he wasn't an exciting kind of guy. He was normal bloke from Wales. He loved rugby, beer and _Wife Swap_. He wasn't athletic. Maybe he should think about a diet. Even though … the last one had been quite the disaster. And Gwen had never complained about the few pounds he had too much. Yet. Of course, that Jack had to be a supermodel. Tall, slim, wearing tight jeans and a leather jacket. Maybe he even had a motorbike and soulful blue eyes. 

Rhys grimaced. This couldn't go on. He was only hurting himself with thoughts like that. It was time for him to step forward and act. He wouldn't just take Gwen's behaviour any more. He had to do something. 

Carefully, he slid out of bed and crept around to Gwen's bedside table. There it was – her mobile. Always within reach. 

Rhys grabbed it and left the bedroom. He closed the door, switched on the light on the hallway and headed for the living room. The empty space the couch had left strengthened his determination and he looked through Gwen's contacts. Time to make his presence known. If Gwen wasn't going to listen, then Rhys would have to talk to the origin of their problems.

***

Coedwig Street was the kind of neighbourhood that Jack could imagine would be his home if he'd ever had a normal job and a normal life. Neat gardens, nice houses … he could be domestic, even if the bigger part of his team seemed to think that he laid everyone looking at him too long. It was a reputation he was loathe to lose. As a Time Agent, he'd had the respect of the others because he'd been popular, and in the Time Agency, becoming popular meant telling dirty stories, and for a while – when he'd been young – he'd loved that way of life, but everyone grew up some day. Jack had been married, he'd had more than one serious relationship. He wasn't incapable of loving or being monogamous. The opposite was the case. But with his current situation, a relationship was out of reach. The Doctor's arrival would happen this century, the girl had said. Jack wouldn't start a relationship when he couldn't be sure that he would be still here in a few months. He couldn't be more to Ianto than an interlude. He wondered if Ianto held back because he wanted more. Jack doubted that he was ready for that – Lisa had just recently died. But he found it difficult to read Ianto's signs, so he didn't assume that this wasn't the case. Maybe he should talk to him again, tell him how it was, but he wasn't sure if Ianto would understand.

He got out of the SUV and walked down the street. Everything was quiet, no trace of a mysterious woman in a dress. He'd decided to come here spontaneously, after he'd dropped Ianto off at home. It hadn't been necessary to give him a lift, Jack knew that. It wasn't that late and Ianto was able to defend himself, but Jack had wanted to make sure that Ianto went home, and didn't spend the night in the Hub working. 

Jack's mobile rang, and he fished it out of his coat pocket, glancing at the caller ID. “Gwen Cooper! Up for an adventure? I could provide,“ he grinned. 

It was silent for a moment. Then a man cleared his throat. 

Jack froze. “Who's that?“ he asked tensely, prepared for the worst.

 _“Rhys Williams.“_ His voice sounded as if he was trying to remain calm. 

Jack smiled in relief and relaxed a bit. “The boyfriend, right? I'm Captain Jack Harkness, what can I do to please you?“

 _“Keep your hands off my girlfriend.“_ He sounded angry and was talking slowly, as if he was forcing himself to be quiet.

Jack frowned, but decided to react with humor. He didn't want to leave a bad impression on Gwen's boyfriend. 

“That's … a cliché.“

_“Listen, you bloody hero, all I want is for you to keep away from her, okay?“_

Now, Jack was getting angry, too. “I am. Believe me, I accept the boundaries of a relationship.“

 _“Yeah, sure you do,“_ Rhys muttered.

Jack thinned his lips. The words stung more than he wanted to admit. He was doing nothing but keeping his distance from Gwen. She was a beautiful woman, he wouldn't deny that, and there was … something between them. A spark, maybe, or simple attraction, but he knew that she was in a relationship, and he wanted her to stay that way. Gwen needed a slice of a normal life. Rhys was the one who could give that to her.

He cleared his throat and answered calmly, “I'm working, Mr. Williams. If you're done ...“

_“No, I'm not done. I want you to stop calling her to work all the time. I know that you're a special unit, but I can't accept you spending more time with her than me.“_

Before Jack could answer, he heard Gwen's voice, _“Is that my mobile?“_

Rhys seemed to place one hand over the receiver, because Jack didn't hear the short conversation of the couple, but then there was Gwen's voice again, clear and close, _“Jack, I'm so sorry.“_

He put his free hand on his hip. “Normally, I'd love to chat with my colleagues' soulmates, but I'm a bit busy at the moment,“ he said, irritated.

_“Where are you? Do you need me?“_

“No, thanks, Gwen. If I need help, I'll call Tosh or Owen. See to it that your private life doesn't interfere with your job.“ He rang off with that and put the mobile back into his pocket. When he raised his head again, she was standing there. She was wearing a white dress. Her head was ducked and the filthy hair shielded her face from his view like a curtain. Her large hands were hanging at her sides. 

Jack made a startled step backwards, but he caught himself and put a hand on his Webley. “Hello, lady,“ he said. She slowly raised her head to look at him from her dark eyes lying deep in the eye sockets. Tears were running over her wrinkled skin. She wasn't a beauty by human standards, but she wasn't human either. She whimpered a few words, and Jack shrugged. “I can't understand you.“ He tilted his head. “Look at you. Where could you come from?“ He determined that she looked a bit like a Kioas. He hadn't spoken their language in a long time and asked hesitantly, “Hol jeyer fiad?“

She sobbed.

“Aw, my Kioas can't be that bad, lady.“ He decided on charming, and smiled brightly. “You don't understand a word I'm saying, right?“ He stepped closer slowly. “Why are you crying?“

She said something. 

Jack pulled his mobile out of his pocket. “Let's test a theory.“ He activated the record function. “Say something.“

She stared at him.

“Don't be shy now.“ He startled when she screamed and vanished.

***

“I can't believe you,“ Gwen said, holding up the mobile as if it was the most important proof in a murder case. “He's my boss.“

Rhys put his hands on his hips. “He calls you. All the time. Day and night, whenever we should be spending time together. It always ends with Jack trying to break us up.“

Gwen shook her head. “He's not trying to break us up, he's calling me in to work. This is not the police, Rhys. I have to work no matter what I'm doing or whom I'm with.“ 

Rhys snorted. “Aside from you, nobody's working in that unit?“

“The team's small. When Jack calls me, he's also calling the others. We're handling the cases together.“ She glared at him. “That doesn't give you the right to take my mobile and call him. Do you have any idea what kind of trouble you got me into?“ He crossed his arms stubbornly and Gwen continued slowly, as if talking to a child, “He is my boss, Rhys.“ 

Even though he wanted to be insulted at the way she was talking to him, he also felt embarrassed. Maybe he'd overdone it, but his defiance didn't let go that easily and he backtracked a few steps in their argument.

“He could hire more people.“

Gwen groaned in frustration and rubbed her forehead. “It's not that simple.“

“Why the hell not?“ Rhys asked, furious. “You just ask me to believe what you tell me, but how do I know that it's the truth?“

“Because it is, Rhys. Our job's complicated and top secret. We're only four field agents plus an archivist.“

Rhys snorted. “All I've got is your word on that and that bloody smile you wear whenever Jack's calling.“ 

Gwen stared at him, shocked. “Rhys … I swear to God, I'm not cheating on you, and I can't believe you'd think that lowly of me.“ She walked past him to the bedroom and slammed the door. 

Rhys wanted to throw himself onto the couch, but then he remembered that it wasn't there any more. He yelled, “Where am I supposed to sleep?!“

***

When Ianto saw Jack the first time the next morning, he was just about to leave his office and putting on his coat. Ianto frowned. He was proud to know all of Jack's appointments by heart. There was nothing planned for this morning. The first appointment would be this afternoon. A call with the Prime Minister. 

Ianto stopped half-way to Jack's office and watched him coming towards him. 

“Sir, did something happen?“

“No. I have some personal business to take care of, and I'll take the back-up SUV. Could you take my calls and ask Tosh to check the Rift activities from yesterday evening? Between eleven and midnight. I met our mysterious friend.“ Jack was already at the door, leaving the main Hub. 

Ianto trailed after him to the elevator leading up to the tourist office and down to the garage.

“Of course,“ he answered. “Do you want me to make you coffee?“

Jack entered the elevator and leaned against the door to prevent it from closing.

“I'm getting one on the way. I'll be on the road for quite a while.“ He smiled. “But I'd love your special blend as soon as I'm back. Now, I have to leave, I'm late.“ He stepped back and the doors closed. 

Ianto stared after him in confusion, then he sighed and entered the main Hub. He'd cleaned up from the day before already, like he always did, and therefore was content with how the Hub looked. Myfanwy was screeching unhappily, and Ianto waved at her. She was always a bit impatient when it came to breakfast, but Ianto's watch told him that he had half an hour left before the appointed feeding time. He entered Jack's office and organized his desk, programming Jack's phone to reroute the calls to Ianto's mobile, then he glanced at the computer screen. He froze, hesitated, then he took a closer look. The website of Pembroke's local newspaper was displayed, and at the bottom of the screen, there was a personal announcement.

_We invite you to say goodbye to our beloved mother and grandmother_

Ianto sighed sadly when he read the name, and he assumed that Jack must have found the announcement only today. That was why he didn't mention any personal appointments yesterday. Jack was on his way to Estelle's funeral.

***

Jack had never been to Pembroke before, but he remembered Estelle telling him that her daughter and her family were living there. She'd told him, too, that she would be buried there. Jack had never thought that it would happen so soon and this way. The funeral had already started when Jack joined the people around Estelle's grave. He was happy to see that many had come. It proved to him that she'd been loved. The grave was near a tree that would shadow Estelle from the sunlight. Even though it was cold, the sun was shining today. Jack looked at the people who had come to grieve for Estelle … he recognized her immediately. She was the spitting image of her mother. Even though her eyes were tired and her make up destroyed by tears, she was beautiful, and Jack was reminded of the first time he'd laid eyes on Estelle. Her elegant moves on the dance floor where she'd been dancing on her own. The only girl dancing alone. Jack had been intrigued immediately, drawn to her inner strength. Estelle had told him about Victoria. Her only daughter, happily married, two almost grown-up sons. The wind was playing with her dark hair and the black costume was hugging her slim figure perfectly. For a moment, Jack felt a deep longing for her – a woman he'd never met before, and, embarrassed, he ducked his head to look at Estelle's coffin.

When the funeral was over, and the guests had said goodbye to Victoria, her husband whispered something to her and headed with their sons towards the parking lot. She stayed behind at the grave, alone. Jack left the tree's shadow and joined her, a friendly smile on his lips. “Mrs. Robinson?“ He offered her his hand. “I'm so sorry.“

She looked up at him, a bit startled, and something like recognition flickered in her eyes. She didn't seem to be able to place where she knew him from, because she took his hand and asked, “Thank you. And you are?“

“Jack Harkness. A friend of your mother.“

Slowly, a smile graced her features.

“Right,“ she said. “The photographs. You're the son of ...“ She stopped, unsure. 

He laughed softly. “Jack Harkness. Same name.“

“Right, Jack Harkness.“ She smiled. “He meant a lot to my mother, and she talked a lot about you. She was so happy that you decided to contact her.“

Jack shoved his hands into his coat pockets. Suddenly, he felt a bit insecure. He normally never talked to anyone at the funerals he attended. Most of the time, he stayed away from the guests and just came to say his private goodbyes to another lost loved one, but it was too late now, and a lie was a lie, so he said, “I couldn't resist. My dad was always telling stories about her.“

“I would have invited you to come but I didn't have your address or phone number.“

Estelle had known his phone number by heart – he'd given it to her in case of emergencies or for when she felt lonely. He'd never given her an address, though.

He stepped closer to Victoria and shook his head. “Don't worry about it.“

“What happened, is so terrible,“ Victoria whispered, and Jack put a hand on her shoulder. “She drowned, but they don't know how.“ She sighed. “I wish she'd agreed to move up here, but she didn't want to leave Cardiff. Well, at least she agreed to be buried here.“

“She was very stubborn,“ Jack nodded. 

Victoria looked at him. “She loved your father, and she never understood why he stopped writing to her.“

Jack shrugged, looking for an explanation that would satisfy Victoria without making an even bigger liar out of him.

“It was a difficult time for everyone. I … can't tell you why he didn't return to be with her.“ He sighed, and Victoria nodded her understanding. Jack assured her, “But he was in love with her. She was special.“ He swallowed tears and added, “I won't forget her.“

“Thank you, Mr. Harkness.“

He smiled, turned away and headed for the parking lot. The noise of the city beyond the graveyard's walls faded, until all he could hear were his steps and his unsteady breath.


	9. Chapter 9

**8.**

 

Ianto was sitting at his desk in the neat backroom of the tourist office, typing up Owen's report on the autopsy of the dead Weevil. From time to time, he would stop the tape to take a bite of the pizza on his desk. The door to the tourist office was locked – the office was officially taking a lunch break. The morning had been quiet. Owen and Gwen had transferred some Weevils from the cells into the sewers, and now, only Stuart was their guest. In the meantime, Tosh had checked Cardiff and the surrounding area for Rift activity and told Ianto that nothing unusual was showing on her screens. 

The door to the Hub opened, and Ianto leaned back in his chair to look into the office. Jack smiled at him tiredly and joined him in the backroom. He leaned against the desk and took a slice out of the pizza box. He was still wearing his coat, and Ianto assumed that he'd come here straight from the garage. The rest of the team wouldn't even know by now that he was back.

“Sir,“ he said and stopped the tape.

Jack glanced at the computer screen and frowned. “You're typing one of Owen's reports again?“

“Did you see how he does his reports? They are a disaster. I rather do it myself, and he asked nicely,“ Ianto answered. “Did you manage to take care of that personal business of yours?“ He didn't want Jack to know that he'd found out where he'd been. 

Jack just kept looking at him for a few seconds, then he continued eating, swallowed and asked, “My computer screen was still on, right?“

Ianto sighed and nodded. “I switched it off.“ He pulled up his shoulders. “It wasn't my intention to spy on you.“ 

“I know.“ Jack shrugged. “I don't mind.“

Ianto looked at him, worried. Jack seemed tired and pale. His eyes were a bit reddened.

“Are you alright?“ Ianto asked. 

Jack took a few seconds to think about it, then he nodded slowly. “Yeah.“ He gave a smile that seemed a bit forced. “Life goes on, right?“

“She meant a lot to you. We'd understand if you needed some time off. I'm sure we'll manage the rest of the day without you.“

Jack put the pizza back into the box, cleaned his hands on a napkin and used one to cradle the back of Ianto's neck. His fingers played with the short hair and he leaned down to rest his forehead against Ianto's. Ianto could feel Jack's breath on his lips, and he looked up into the blue eyes directly in front of his. They reflected the grateful smile on Jack's lips when the captain softly said, “That's not necessary. Thank you, Ianto.“ He kissed him with his mouth closed and almost chastely, but his lips remained longer than appropriate, and Ianto returned the kiss hesitantly. It was nothing compared to what they'd already done together, but it almost felt as if they were building up that intimacy from scratch, and Ianto felt his heartbeat quickening. 

Jack drew back and smiled. Then he walked a few steps towards the Hub before stopping. “I'd like to take you with me tonight. I want to try if I can meet our friend again, and if it's really Welsh she's talking, then I'll need you there.“

“Gwen speaks Welsh,“ Ianto answered. 

Jack shrugged. “I'm taking you.“ With that, he turned away and entered the Hub. Ianto looked after him, smiling.

***

When Jack entered the main Hub through the cog wheel door, Gwen was already waiting for him. She got up from her workstation and went towards him. "Jack."

He passed by her, heading for his office. "Did you have a good evening?" he asked. On his way, he smiled at Tosh and put a hand on Owen's shoulder, he seemed to be busy analyzing Stuart's blood.

"Are you mad at me?" Gwen asked and closed the door to Jack's office, earning herself a questioning look. Taking off his coat, he sat down and switched on his computer screen, checking his e-mails. Since there seemed to be nothing overly urgent, he turned to Gwen, who was standing in front of the desk with her hands in her jeans pockets and her shoulders pulled up.

"At you? No," he answered, leaning back in his chair. "At the fact that your boyfriend calls me in a hissy fit in the middle of the night – while I'm out investigating -, you bet I am, but I'm even angrier about the implication that I'm sleeping with you. Even more so, because I wasn't prepared for him to yell at me for something I didn't do."

"I didn't think something like that would put you off," Gwen said in surprise.

He raised his eyebrows. "I'm an open-minded person, Gwen. Present me with an open relationship, and I'm all for taking part, and I love harmless flirts, but I respect the boundaries set by a committed relationship."

She seemed surprised and bit her lip. "Sorry. I ... I didn't know that. You're always ... sorry."

Jack cursed the conventions of this century which were constantly putting a label on him just because he bragged a bit too much sometimes. There were no grey areas with these people.

He pulled a few files closer that Ianto had put on the edge of his desk. A post-it said _Signature_. There was another one on the file at the bottom.

_Signature, but PLEASE read before signing!_

He felt a smile slip out at the note. Gwen was still standing in front of his desk, unsure. Jack sighed and looked up at her. "Doesn't matter anyway – it's nothing you should be concerned about."

The door opened and Ianto entered, two mugs of coffee in his hand. He passed one to Gwen, the other to Jack. Jack gifted him with a small smile. "Thank you, Ianto," he said. The young man nodded and left.

Gwen sipped her coffee, then she hesitantly said, "I'm sorry that Rhys called you. I told him that he went too far. It'll never happen again." She turned to leave.

"Gwen," Jack said, and she stopped. "I'm sorry. I'm ... a bit on the edge today."

She turned back to face him. He sat in his chair and stared into his mug, feeling tired and sad. She came back to the desk. "Are you okay?" she asked.

He nodded and faked a smile. "It's getting better." He took a sip of his coffee and made a happy noise at the taste, then he explained, "Estelle's funeral was today."

"That's where you've been," Gwen said, perching on the edge of the desk.

"Yeah," he said.

"Are you alright?" she asked cautiously.

"Not yet." He smiled sadly and explained, "I really loved her."

"You didn't stay with her because ..."

He shook his head. "I couldn't. I had to leave two wives behind because I didn't want them to know, and I didn't want to go through that a third time. Never again." He laughed softly. "Of course, relationships with people knowing my secret aren't easier. Only, in those cases, I don't leave them – they leave me." He shook his head.

Gwen pulled one of her legs on the desk and shifted a bit to sit more comfortably. "You want to talk about it?"

"No, not really." He sighed. "Whatever you and Rhys are going through at the moment, look to it that you get back on track. It's important that you keep him around."

Gwen ducked her head, staring into her coffee. Jack watched her profile, watched her mulling over what to say next. She was a beautiful woman, strong and independent. Sometimes a bit too proud, too eager and too curious. She looked at him. "He wants us to move out and look for a new flat. He didn't come right out and say it but I think he wants a baby."

Jack was surprised, but then he smiled happily. "But that's great."

"No, it isn't. Don't say things like that, Jack." She got up and glared at him warningly. "A baby, with our job. I can't go earlier just because I have to pick the kid up from kindergarten, and I can't even promise to be there for school plays and the likes."

Jack leaned back in his chair. "Don't let that idea die just because you're scared of the future. That's so far away, Gwen. A lot of things could change by then."

She put her free hand on her hip. "What'll happen to my job if I get pregnant?"

"You'll keep it. We had pregnant agents before. Even a pregnant male colleague."

She pulled a face. "Do I want to know the details?"

"A beautiful little boy," Jack grinned. "Matthew never pushed buttons with unknown consequences again." He smiled, until he was startled to realize that he hadn't thought of Matthew in a very long time, and his face hardened. Another name on a list of people who'd meant the world to him but who'd vanished from his life – be it by death, illness or just because they wanted to. He didn't know the answer in Matthew's case. He'd rarely seen him during he last two months of his pregnancy, too busy following leads of sightings of the Doctor and helping out Torchwood Two. Matthew had just been gone one day when Jack had returned from his travels, and the baby – three months old – had been signed up for adoption. He'd never found out what had happened to Matthew or where his son was now.

"It's just," Gwen said, startling him from his thoughts, "I don't know what to do. I don't know if I even want kids anymore."

Jack massaged his forehead, chasing away the thoughts of Matthew. "Tell him," he answered.

"He won't want me to say that."

"There has to be a reason why."

"Maybe." She sighed. "Yeah. I'm sure you're right." Her gaze caught his. "Are you okay?"

He nodded bravely and put on a smile. "Yeah. I will be."

She smiled weakly and left his office. Jack stared at the door. Matthew York. One of the more tragic losses in his life. Even though he felt guilty about it, he didn't want to think of him. Not now.

***

In the evening, Jack, Tosh and Ianto gathered in the boardroom to eat Chinese take-out. Owen's cartons were untouched as of yet. He wanted to put the finishing touches on his analysis of Stuart's blood first. Jack hadn't understood what kind of problem Owen had with his first analysis but Owen had told him that he needed to do the tests again. Gwen had gone home to be with Rhys a while ago.

Thoughtful silence was hanging around the table until Tosh said, "A crying woman in a white dress. I can't imagine what we're dealing with here."

Ianto cleared his throat. "I looked through the newspaper archives. Nothing. No unresolved death around Coedwig Street. Or kidnappings. Or strange happenings."

Jack said, "We're going there later. Maybe we'll get her to talk to you."

Tosh frowned. "Do you think that's such a good idea?"

"What should we do? I don't want to shoot her. She seems to be harmless," Jack explained. "Maybe she got lost."

"Still, it's strange," Tosh said. 

The door to the boardroom opened, and Owen entered. He stopped, staring at all of them gravely, and entwining his hands behind is back. He started to bop on his feet, and if Jack wouldn't know him better, he'd think that Owen was suppressing a grin. The silence stretched and everyone was looking at Owen expectantly. Owen just kept standing there until Jack told him, "You have our full attention."

Owen began to grin. "I'll need it," he answered. "Jack ... we're expecting little ones."

"But, darling ... I was always so careful," Jack grinned, and Owen rolled his eyes.

"No, seriously. Stuart's pregnant."

Silence.

Then, Ianto cleared his throat. "Pregnant?"

"It's not a male," Owen explained. "It's hard to tell with Weevils, which is why we can never be sure and just dub them whatever we can think of. We were wrong here. Stuart's a girl." He grinned. "And very pregnant."

Jack raised his eyebrows. That could prove difficult.

"How pregnant?" he asked.

"Well, on the basis of the size of Stuart's ... baby bump and assuming that Weevils carry their babies as long as humans since they are of similar build ... four or five months along." Owen sat down and started to dig in. "Tomorrow, I'll sedate it ... her and do an ultrasound."

Ianto looked at Jack. "Baby Weevils. What are we supposed to do with baby Weevils, sir?"

Tosh raised a hand. "Couldn't we just let Stuart …" She stopped and looked at Jack, who considered for a moment and then suggested, "Anita?" Everybody nodded, and Tosh finished her question, "Couldn't we just let Anita go?"

"I want to study her," Owen said. Tosh raised her eyebrows and Owen grinned. "I want to become a Weevil expert," he explained.

Jack smiled. "I bet every little boy says that."

Owen threw a chopstick at him. "Seriously," he said, "we could learn a lot about the social behaviour of Weevils. Jack, you're the one who wanted to start understanding them better."

That was right. Jack had also been the one who'd gotten rid of the former Tochwood practice of catching and shooting Weevils. He'd discovered that they were living in the sewers and only rarely ventured to the world above, and if they did, then they weren't that dangerous for humans, only if they were provoked. He'd discovered, too, that catching them was the perfect way to frighten them off. They'd never caught the same Weevil twice, as proven by the chips they'd implanted the caught Weevils with. The news seemed to spread in Weevil land, because for the most part, they stayed away. They preferred the sewers or abandoned buildings around the city and lived by eating rats.

He smiled at Owen. "You can keep her," he decided.

Owen nodded gratefully, then he said, "We'll need a bigger cell."

Ianto looked at Jack. "One level below the high security cells are some abandoned storage rooms," he explained. "I could clean them up and install thicker doors."

Tosh nodded enthusiastically. "I'll install CCTV."

Jack looked at his three colleagues and grinned brightly. "That seals it. Weevil babies. It never gets boring down here."


	10. Chapter 10

**9.**

 

Ianto looked out of the car window to the dark street beyond. It had started to rain when they'd left the Hub to come here, and even though it had lessened to a drizzle, it was still hitting the car roof in a staccato rhythm. Coedwig Street was sleeping. There wasn't a light on in any of the houses, and with a glance at his watch, Ianto saw that it was after midnight.

Jack was playing with the radio, looking for another channel. When he found one playing oldies, he leaned back in his seat with a satisfied sigh. Ianto glanced at him, then looked out the window again. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jack turning his head to stare at him. He'd been awfully quiet the last two hours, but Ianto assumed that that woud change soon. He was right.

"You okay?" Jack asked.

Ianto crossed his arms, still staring out the window. "Yes."

The next minutes passed with only sound of the music, the rain on the roof and Jack's calm breathing. Ianto remembered the one time Jack had driven away from the city with him. It had been raining then, too, and they'd stopped somewhere at the coast. Jack had grinned at him, the blue eyes sparkling, and then he'd leaned forwards and kissed Ianto passionately. Ever since that night, the sound of rain drumming on the car roof was one of the most intimate noises Ianto knew.

Jack took his hand and Ianto was startled back to reality. He looked into Jack's worried eyes, and Jack smiled encouragingly. "Are you sure?"

Ianto nodded. He didn't want to talk about how unsure he was about his feelings for Jack – wanting to climb on his lap and kiss him senseless one minute and doubting those feelings the other – so he pulled his hand away and asked, "Can I get tomorrow morning free?"

Jack frowned at Ianto's hand, but he replaced the look with a questioning face. "Sure." He didn't ask why.

Ianto thought that he deserved to know for that reason alone. "I'm going to go and see Rhiannon."

Jack smiled happily. "That's great."

Ianto wasn't sure about that. "I think I can be back around noon."

"If you should need more time, you can call me," Jack answered. Ianto nodded with a grateful smile, and Jack put a hand on his shoulder for a second, before pulling it back to rest on his own thigh and looking out the window. He tensed. "There she is."

Ianto followed his gaze. At the end of the street, disguised by the rain and only recognizable because she was standing under a streetlamp, was a woman in a white dress. Ianto couldn't see her face.

He opened the car door. They got out and Ianto closed the door as softly as possible. Walking next to each other, they approached the woman. Rain was already running down his face and into his collar, and he pulled his shoulders up protectively. The woman seemed to be waiting for them. Ianto tightened his grip around the gun and glanced at Jack tensely, then he focussed on the woman. "Helô," he said. "Ianto Jones ydw i." He smiled at her as reassuringly as he could. "Pwy wyt ti?"

"Fy mlentyn, fy mlentyn bach!"

Ianto frowned. He could understand her, but the words didn't make any sense. She wasn't answering his question after her name. He noticed Jack looking at him questioningly, but he ignored him to focus on the woman. She sobbed and looked at him. "Fy mlentyn, fy mlentyn bach!" Then, she was gone.

Ianto turned around to Jack. "Weird."

"What did she say?" Jack asked.

"She's grieving her child," Ianto answered. "She said: My child, my small child."

Jack frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I have no idea," Ianto answered. "But she doesn't seem to be dangerous."

"Nevertheless, we have to get rid of her," Jack said determined.

"Why's she speaking Welsh?" Ianto asked.

"I don't know, but she doesn't sound half as sexy as you doing it."

Ianto rolled his eyes, and Jack grinned.

***

Gwen stared at the blank television screen and sighed deeply before she drained the glass of wine in her hand. She took her mobile from the kitchen bar and dialed Rhys' number. He'd threatened not to answer his phone when he'd left the flat after their last heated argument, so she wasn't surprised when his voicemail picked up.

"Rhys? I'm ... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have started to shout. It's just ... difficult at the moment, and you calling Jack caused trouble at work for me, and that's why ... I'm starting again. Sorry. So, if you want to spend the night at a friend's place, then you can, but we should talk tomorrow. Calmly. Just tell me that you're okay, alright?" She hesitated, then she whispered “I love you“ and rang off.

When her mobile announced a text message half an hour later, saying _I'm alright_ , she didn't feel better.

***

_Jack knew that he was dreaming._

_The Hub looked a bit different than it did now, but he knew the massive wooden desks and the typewriters. He knew the note pads, the pencils and fountain pens. There was a couch in the same place that theirs was now, but this one was red and new and much more comfortable. He knew that he was reliving a memory, but he couldn't stop it._

_He was sitting on the couch, surrounded by files, and reading. News from all over the country. He was looking for the Doctor._

_Someone sat down beside him and a careful kiss was placed in the bend of his neck. He had always been so quiet and shy. Jack smiled softly._

_"Matthew."..._

… He startled awake and found himself back in his quarters, in his narrow bed, sweaty and panting. He heard a soft laugh and the sound of small wings. Jack sat up. "What do you want?" he asked. "I gave you Jasmine. You took Estelle. What do you want now? Matthew?" He listened, but there was no answer. "You can't have him." He smiled bitterly. "Not even you can reach him now."

Silence.

***

"Morning!" Gwen called, entering the Hub with a doughnut box in her hands. Myfanwy left her nest, gliding around the water tower in the middle of the room. She was headed for the floor, landing near the small stream crossing the Hub which, Jack had told them, had been created by a Torchwood agent in 80s, who'd wanted to achieve a calm working environment. Gwen didn't think that it was working. Only now, in the early hours of the morning, before the first Rift alerts or news arrived, was the Hub calm.

Gwen put the box on the the table by the couch and headed for her desk. Tosh and Owen were already at their working stations. Tosh was checking her analysis program, and Owen was busy reading his e-mails. Gwen put her bag on the floor and draped her wet jacket over the chair before picking up some police files and retreating to the couch. Myfanwy cooed softly and waddled towards Owen's desk. She pulled at his sleeve with her beak.

"Get lost," he said, and Myfanwy screamed in protest. Gwen clicked her tongue and held up a doughnut as Myfanwy turned her head to look at her hopefully. Eagerly, the pteranodon waddled over to her, and Gwen threw her the doughnut. Myfanwy snatched it and retreated back to her lair high above the heads of the three agents. Owen had watched her, and rolled his eyes. "Don't feed her that crap," he said.

Gwen stretched out on the couch, the files on her belly. "Why not?"

"It's not good for her," Owen answered. Tosh turned her desk chair in Gwen's direction and nodded.

Gwen frowned. "Ianto feeds her chocolate."

Owen joined her on the couch, shoving her legs down to sit. Only her swift reflexes saved the files from a messy tumble to the floor. She glared at Owen. He didn't seem to care. "He shouldn't."

He reached for the doughnuts, but Gwen snatched the box out of his reach. "I brought those for my nice colleagues," she said.

Owen snorted. "What is this? Kindergarten?" He made to grab the box, Gwen leaned backwards, but Owen didn't hesitate to climb over her hips and snatch the box away. The files fell to the floor.

Gwen cursed and tried to kick Owen, but he was already out of reach.

"Give me one," she demanded.

Owen shook his head. "Those are for my nice colleagues." He went to Tosh and offered her the box. "Doughnut?"

Tosh smiled gratefully. Gwen gathered up her files while Owen returned to his desk with a gleeful grin, the box still held triumphantly in his hands. She decided to ignore him and get her revenge later and laid back down on the couch. "So," she said, looking at Tosh. "What about Jack's wristband? Did you ever try to find it in the database? Maybe that'll give us a clue as to who he is."

Tosh leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. "I've researched it since I met him. I even asked him once if I could examine it, but he didn't want me to. There's no clue in the database. I doubt that it was registered in our archives."

Gwen frowned. "That'd mean that it's his, right?"

Tosh shrugged. "Maybe."

"Doesn't that contradict the theory that he came here from the 30s? I mean, that thing can't be from the 30s."

Owen turned away from his Facebook page to comment on that, "Maybe he's from the future." His tone was sarcastic, but Gwen wouldn't be surprised if that would turn out to be the truth. Only in Torchwood.

One level above them, the door to the hothouse fell shut and Jack's steps on the metal gantry made them drop the topic to be picked up later.

"Hey," Owen shouted as soon as he saw Jack, "where's Ianto? I want coffee!"

Jack rolled his eyes, descended the last steps and pulled a 20 pound note from his pocket. "Girls, Owen just volunteered to do a coffee run to Starbucks."

Gwen grinned at Owen, filing the stealing of the doughnuts under _Revenge taken_. It was raining like mad and Starbucks was ten minutes away, and since the branch was in a pedestrian precinct, taking the car was out of the question. Owen would get wet. He seemed to come to the same conclusion and crossed his arms stubbornly. "In your dreams, Harkness."

Jack raised his eyebrows, still patiently holding out the money for Owen to take. "Well, Ianto won't come in until noon."

"Why?" Owen asked.

"Personal stuff."

Owen frowned. "Personal stu ... Ianto never has personal stuff. The last personal stuff he did have was a cyber-"

"We decided not to talk about that any more, remember? I'll take my coffee black. Thanks, Owen," Jack interrupted, throwing him the money.

Gwen said, "Latte Macchiato."

"White Chocolate Mocha," Tosh added. Owen gave in and got up to take his jacket. Tosh smiled. "Take an umbrella," she said. "It's raining."

Owen growled.

***

The houses weren't shabby, but not as pretty and neat as those in Coedwig Street. Torn cardboard boxes and empty beer bottles were littering the bus stop nearby, some of the walls were sprayed with aggressive slogans. Ianto had grown up in a neighbourhood like this, and even though it hadn't been this neighbourhood, the memories returned unbidden.

He got out of the car and pulled his shoulders up to ward off the cold and rain. Slowly, he approached the small two-story home his sister and her family were living in. The neighbourhood was quiet at this time of the day – the children in school, the young people at work or still in bed and the housewives going about their everyday duties while their husbands were working or hanging out on the couch watching the telly.

Ianto stopped and gasped. Maybe it was panic because of the meeting with Rhiannon, but he felt like he was choking. He'd never wanted that life for himself and he was still avoiding it. With Lisa, he would have found a nice flat in town with additional rooms for any future children. Maybe even a house in a nice suburb. They could've still worked for Torchwood One. But Torchwood Three was different, since the team was smaller. Ianto wondered how long Gwen would stay, or Tosh. If they were starting to think about having kids …

The door to Rhiannon's house opened and Ianto took a few steps backwards to stand between two parkedcars. He watched Rhiannon kissing her husband Johnny's cheek and him walking down the street. Rhiannon watched him go. She was fine. She was okay, Johnny was okay, and some toys, David's skateboard and Mica's bike in the small garden proved to Ianto that the kids were fine, too. Rhiannon's world was just fine. Without him and his baggage.

She went back inside and closed the door. Ianto turned away and went back to his car.

***

The archives spread over several rooms on one of the deepest levels. In the biggest room – more of a hall, really – the files with reports concerning everything and everyone Torchwood had encountered were stowed away. Smaller rooms served as storerooms for more dangerous artifacts and technologies, for weapons, too, and in the room at the end of the corridor was a small spaceship that had crashed sometime during the 20s near Cardiff. Ianto's workplace was in the main archive, surrounded by boxes filled with uncatalogued files. The endless rows of shelves were sorted alphabetically and chronologically. Since his employment, Ianto had made a small dent in the workload and catalogued six shelves. Jack didn't know which priorities Ianto was setting, and he didn't really care most of the time since he'd given Ianto free reign. 

But now, walking along the rows, he had to admit the he should have asked. Ianto had shifted around boxes, shoving them from one corner to the other or piled them up around his desk. Nothing was like it had been in 2000 when Jack had looked for Matthew York's file the last time. 

He shoved his hands into his pockets and stopped. His comm made a low crackling noise and he heard Owen's voice, _“Jack. Your coffee's on your desk. If it gets cold, I'm not buying you a new one.“_

Jack smiled. “Thank you, Owen,“ he answered. He sighed deeply and headed for the door. Before he switched off the light, he glanced around one last time. Then he closed the door.

***

Jack was sitting at his desk, busy with a phone call, when Ianto stopped in his doorway. He nodded at Ianto before signalling him to come closer and giving him a post-it. “Get that file for me, okay?“ Jack said softly, and then returned to his phone call. Since Jack hadn't told him that he needed the file immediately, Ianto started to do his usual chores: He served everyone coffee, cleaned up and noticed that Owen had fed the Weevils and Myfanwy. He thanked him with a small smile. Owen and he weren't the best of friends, but they were working on it – even though neither of them would admit to it.

Ianto's grateful smile provoked Owen to roll his eyes. “I didn't really have a choice,“ he complained. “They wouldn't shut up, and Myfanwy took my doughnuts.“

Ianto went to the archives to get Jack's file. The file number led him to the personnel files from 1910 to 1940 which he'd put into boxes and piled together with the rest of the personnel files in a corner to sort out at a later date. The personnel files were low priority. At the moment, he was sorting through technologies and the alien races Torchwood had encountered. The archives were a mess. It would take Ianto years to fix it, but he liked doing it, and he liked caring for the team, cleaning up the Hub or manning the tourist office. He felt safe when he could straighten some mess out. 

He brushed dust away from the boxes and coughed. He found the right one. “York,“ he muttered and took a pile of files out of the box. He found the one he was searching for in less than a minute. “Matthew York.“ Curious, he opened it and glanced at the old photograph. It was faded, but Matthew was still recognizable. He was young, the file stated that he was hired at the tender age of twenty-two, dark locks were falling into his face and bright, intelligent eyes were looking at the camera. He was smiling weakly, shyly, but Ianto liked him from the first second. Ianto smiled back at the picture and closed the file. He grabbed the rest of the pile, intending to put them back into the box, but then he saw the name on one of the files in the box. 

_Harkness_

Ianto froze. 

_Harkness, Jack, Captain_

Ianto put the files back on the floor and took the folder out of the box. It was worn as if someone had thumbed through it again and again. He opened the file and stared at the man on the picture. There was no doubt that this was Jack, but how was that even possible? 

The first page told him that the file had been transcribed from another one that had been filed in 1899. Ianto found the box and with it, the file. 

_Harkness, Jack, Captain_

A picture that looked like the other one, but with another background and Jack's smile seemed a bit more forced. It was stated that he was a freelance agent, and not to be trusted. A short report said that he told Torchwood that he was from the future, but didn't want to reveal more. There was a handwritten note on the side. 

_Connection to the Doctor?_

Ianto swallowed. His trembling hands pulled the box from 1940 to 1970 closer. Then 1970 to 1990. 

_Harkness, Jack, Captain_

The same man.

“That's impossible,“ Ianto muttered.


	11. Chapter 11

**10.**

 

When Ianto entered Jack's office, Jack had finished his phone call and was doing his paper work. 

“Jack,“ Ianto said, holding up Matthew's file. 

Jack raised his head, smiled gratefully and took it from him. “You were gone for quite a while.“

“Yes,“ Ianto answered. He scrutinized Jack's face for a moment, tempted to talk with him about what he'd found, but he decided against it. He wanted to read the files first, get an impression of who they were dealing with. 

He straightened the knot of his tie and said, “The woman in Coedwig Street … I had an idea while I was downstairs and I think I know what we're dealing with.“

Surprised, Jack raised his eyebrows. “Seriously? Why didn't you say so immediately?“

“I'm sorry. I … I asked Tosh to check up on something for me, but we're fairly sure now that I'm right.“ He shoved his hands into his trouser pockets. “She's getting the boardroom ready.“

“Good.“ Jack put Matthew's file in his desk drawer. Ianto's eyes stared at the back of the desk, right where the drawer was and Jack frowned. “Ianto?“ 

Ianto looked up at him. He felt as if he'd walked into the archives more naive than he came back, and thousands of questions were burning on his tongue. Normally, he would hold back. He knew that Jack would only talk about himself if he wanted to, but Jack's secrets seemed to be way bigger than Ianto would have ever thought possible, and he didn't want to miss the chance to shed some light in the darkness that was Jack Harkness' past. Until now, he'd discouraged the team's curiosity since he knew that Jack didn't like to be pressured, but he couldn't stop himself from wanting to ask the same questions.

He decided on one that seemed harmless enough, but would possibly open a few doors to Jack's secrets. “Why are you so interested in that file?“ he asked. “Matthew York? He went missing over seventy years ago.“ 

Jack's face hardened and he closed the drawer. He didn't answer, but he stared at Ianto until he ducked his head. “I'm sorry, sir. I …“

When he passed him on his way out of the office, Jack's hand squeezed Ianto's shoulder briefly. “Don't worry about it,“ he said. Ianto thought of the files he'd hidden in the drawer of his desk in the backroom of the tourist office. He planned on taking them home to study them. There, he didn't have to worry about Jack coming by and finding out what he was doing. He was about to betray Jack's trust. Ianto had promised himself never to lie to Jack again, but he couldn't help but wonder who the man was he was trusting so much.

Ianto took a deep breath and followed the others to the boardroom.

***

Owen propped his head up on one hand and sighed in irritation. “Are you kidding?“ he asked. “We search for clues, interview the witnesses and burrow through the archives and all Ianto has to do is use Google?“

Jack leaned on the conference table. “Well, actually,“ he said, smiling at Ianto, “you weren't the one burrowing through the archives, that was Ianto.“ 

Owen narrowed his eyes. His gaze found Ianto who was sitting on Jack's right. Even though his face was as impassive as ever, Owen could see that he was nervous, because Ianto kept straightening a dog-ear on the paper lying before him with his thumb. Sometimes, Owen didn't know what to think of Ianto's obsession with order and perfection. During Ianto's suspension, Owen had been to his flat more than once. It had looked like it had come right out of a catalogue. Even the personal items – books, DVDs and photographs – had been distributed throughout the flat as if there was some kind of pattern behind it. Owen was the last person to say that his flat was cosy. He only bought what he needed and his telly was still standing on a packing case, not on an appropriate table, but his flat felt lived-in. There were clothes hanging over furniture, pictures on his fridge and he only cleaned up when he was really bored. He told himself not to worry about it. It was Ianto's flat and his obsession made him so good at his job, but Owen couldn't shake the feeling that there was more behind it than met the eye. 

Ianto's voice startled him out of his thoughts, “And it wasn't Google, it was Wikipedia.“

“Wikipedia,“ Owen echoed.

Ianto ensured with a glance that the dog-ear was now, in fact, gone. “The Welsh version.“

“There's a Welsh version?“

Ianto tilted his head and looked at Owen as if he felt bored that he always had to explain everything to him. In a neutral tone, he said, “There's a Wikipedia version for almost every language.“

Getting impatient, Gwen raised her hand. “Back to topic, please?“

Owen turned to Tosh and whispered, “Who reads a Welsh Wikipedia?“

“Owen,“ Jack said and he fell silent. 

Jack nodded at Ianto and he cleared his throat. He nestled at the knot of his tie and straightened his shoulders. “Fy mlentyn, fy mlentyn bach,“ he said. “That's what she said. I used it as a search term. It means 'My child, my little child' and it's a cry of grief belonging to the Gwrach-Y-Rhibyn.“

Gwen gasped. “Creepy,“ she said. “My grandmother told me about them. They can predict death, right?“ 

“They are ghosts, evil ghosts. They appear as old ugly women and are a sign of approaching death. Allegedly, they haunt old Welsh families, and appear whenever someone's about to die. They grieve for men and children. Sometimes, the name of the doomed person can be heard.“

Owen pulled a face. “That's so _Supernatural_.“

Ianto ignored him. “There are beings like Gwrach-Y-Rhibyn all over the world. They are also called Hag, in Scotland, they are known as Bean Shith, in Germany as Sabberhexe and so on. Most of the time, her cry of grief is to be heard near the family's house, but there also legends that report her to be sitting at nearby streams, washing bloody clothes. The most important reference to us is the Irish Banshee.“ He looked at Jack. “You won't like this.“

Jack folded his hands. “I'm not exactly thrilled right now.“

Ianto cleared his throat. “The word Banshee originated in the Irish-Gaelic word Bean Si, which means 'ghost woman' or … 'woman of the Fairies'.“ 

Gwen looked at Jack. “The Fairies?“ she asked. “I thought we got rid of them.“

Tosh answered, “Unfortunately, no. Ianto asked me to scan the neighbourhood again. No Rift energy, but there are small weather patterns that stood out. They are only tiny and they happen at night. Strong winds. Not as strong as when they attacked a few days ago, so I didn't see the connection sooner.“

Jack's face had hardened and he was staring at the table. Gwen looked at him questioningly. “What are we going to do?“

Jack got up. “We're making a trip into the forest tonight. We won't find them right now, but we may have a chance at night. Until then, we prepare ourselves. Tosh, take the last three days. I want a list of the weather patterns and find out if Coedwig Street is the only street we have to deal with. Owen, check the medical files on the residents. I want to know everything. Illnesses, allergies … the children are a matter of priority. Somebody will die and I want to know who it could be before it happens. Gwen, help him. Ianto, good job. Write up a report for me and one for the archives and keep looking for more clues as to who that woman is – where did she appear the last time? Who died?“

Ianto nodded and the team got to work. 

***

_Matthew_

Gwen pressed enter. While the computer was searching, she let her eyes stray through the main Hub. Owen was taking a break after he and Gwen had looked through all of the medical files – without success. Tosh was still doing her analysis and Jack was in his office. 

Her computer uttered a short peep. Many hits but only one of the men had been a Torchwood employee. Matthew York. She clicked on the name, but the database informed her that the file hadn't been entered into the system yet. Pensive, she propped her head up on one hand and opened the picture archive. Tosh had told Gwen that she hadn't had her own projects in her first weeks at Torchwood and that she'd taken over the task of organizing the picture archive instead. She was nearly done with it by now and Ianto was using it to link the files he entered with the appropriate pictures. Gwen thought that their work was fantastic. The database was huge and well organized and every file had a printed counterpart in the basement, just in case. 

She typed _Matthew York_ and got one hit. An old photograph. Jack was the first who caught her eye. It was strange that she could still be surprised about his face on a picture from 1931, even more so, since he'd practically confided to her that he'd lived at that time. He'd told her the story about him and Estelle. Gwen wondered how many more friends and lovers he'd lost over time. On this picture, he was grinning into the camera, his coat looking like it did today, just like the shirt and the braces … as if he'd been photoshopped into this picture later on. Gwen scanned the names under the photograph and found Matthew York standing next to Jack. Young, cute, a shy smile on his lips. Jack's hand was on his shoulder. Gwen didn't know if she was imagining it, but she thought that she could see something between the two men. A connection. Could Matthew be just another conquest of Jack's? 

She printed the picture out.

“What are you doing?“ Ianto asked and Gwen startled. 

She turned around to face him. “God, Ianto! You scared me.“ She let out a nervous laugh. He handed her a mug with coffee and nodded insistently towards the print-out. Gwen held it up. “Notice something weird?“ Gwen was surprised. After the thing with Lisa, she'd thought that Ianto was a better actor, but apparently only when his life was on the line. He didn't seem surprised at all to see Jack in the picture, but he made a pathetic try at seeming to be. She laughed. “Try again. How long have you known?“ Gwen asked. 

Ianto sighed. “I found files in the archives. Jack is … really interesting.“

“So, he didn't just fall through the Rift,“ Gwen said. 

Ianto frowned. “What?“

She shook her head. “Just a theory Tosh and Suzie had – doesn't matter.“ She stared at the picture. “He really is that old.“ She slid her chair closer to Ianto, and he leaned against the desk. Gwen lowered her voice, not wanting to let Owen and Tosh in on their conversation. “He told me that he and Estelle were a couple. I saw old photographs in Estelle's house – of him. At first, he tried to stall me, telling me that his father was her boyfriend, but no son looks that much like his father. He told me the truth.“ She looked up at Ianto. “He can't die.“ She noticed that Ianto was really surprised. “I saw him getting shot – by Suzie – and he just stood up again.“

“That makes sense,“ he said. “How else could he live so long without … a safety net and without getting older.“ He took the print-out and folded it. “Gwen, don't tell the others.“

“I won't,“ she answered. 

He looked at her with a frown. “I'm not deaf. I heard you talking. All that gossiping about Jack's past … you won't tell them, but I think they'll find this picture by accident, won't they?“

Gwen crossed her arms and stared at him defiantly. “Ianto, he has no right to keep something that important from us.“

“He has every right. It's his life.“

“Ianto-“ 

“It's got nothing,“ he shook his head, “absolutely nothing to do with our work. Wherever he came from or how old he is … it doesn't concern us. That he can't die is his secret to tell. It doesn't stop him from doing his job. On the contrary, I think he can risk more than all of us together and he does so. If you force him to talk about it by telling the others … that wouldn't be fair.“

“Aren't you curious, Ianto?“ Gwen asked. “Don't you want to know?“

He smiled weakly. “Of course, but he's going to tell us when he's ready.“ Ianto stared at her earnestly. “I saw the files, and believe me, I wanted to read them. I was determined to read them, but I won't. It would betray his trust. No matter if he knows or if he doesn't.“ He sighed and handed her the picture. “I can't stop you, Gwen, but … think about it.“

***

“Sir?“

Jack looked up from Matthew's file and at Ianto who was standing in his office door. He was holding a pile of files and walked towards Jack. Jack closed Matthew's file and put it in the drawer. “Ianto,“ he smiled. “You were here only ten minutes ago to bring me coffee.“

Ianto glanced meaningfully at the empty mug. “I see that you needed it.“ Ianto was nervous. He didn't show it, but Jack could feel it. He wondered what could be wrong and contemplated asking Ianto, but then he decided against it. It was Ianto's decision to talk to him. 

So he just smiled. “What've you got?“

“The report,“ Ianto said, handing Jack one of the files. He breathed in deeply before he added, “And these.“

Jack took the files automatically when Ianto handed them over and only after a second, he realized what he was holding. 

_Harkness, Jack, Captain_

He stared at the cover of the folder on the top and swallowed. He'd forgotten about those. Ianto had mentioned once that he was making the personnel files the lowest priority, and Jack had hoped that he would have enough time to explain this. There had been the slim chance that he never would have to.

“I shouldn't have asked you for Matthew's file,“ he said. 

Ianto folded his hands on his back as if he was embarrassed. “It would have taken me another year to find those.“

Jack put both hands on the files and raised his head. “Ianto-“

“Gwen knows.“ Ianto stared at him.

“Of course. She saw me ...“ He stopped, wondering how much Ianto really knew about this.

“Die?“

Jack nodded slowly and leaned back in his chair. He turned the chair in Ianto's direction, and the other man seemed to take this as confirmation that they were going to have a talk. He leaned against the desk and braced both his hands against the wood. Jack sighed loudly. “Did you read them?“

Ianto shook his head before ducking it. “I wanted to but ...“ He hesitated.

Jack took his hand. “Thank you,“ he said earnestly. It meant a lot to him that Ianto was giving him the files. Even more so, because Ianto wasn't going to read them. Not everything in them was nice, and the early files even classified him as dangerous and not to be trusted.

“Jack, the team … Gwen knows and she thinks that Owen and Tosh should, too. They talk.“ 

“I know. I caught them writing IMs.“ He smiled, then he became serious again. “You think I should tell them?“

Ianto sighed deeply. “It's your decision.“

Jack tilted his head and said, “Tell me what you think.“ Ianto shook his head, and Jack's grip around his hand tightened. “Ianto.“ 

Ianto rolled his eyes. “I think there's no way you can keep it a secret.“

Jack sighed. “I think so, too.“ He let go of Ianto, who smiled. 

Ianto headed for the door. At the door, he stopped. “Jack,“ he said, turning back around. Jack looked at him questioningly. Ianto said, “I won't ask, but if you want to talk ...“

Jack smiled. “Thank you, Ianto.“


	12. Chapter 12

**11.**

 

The trees of Roundstone Wood swallowed the city lights, the ground was muddy from the rainfalls of the last few days and it was cold. Tosh adjusted the collar of her jacket while Owen shoved his hands deep into his leather jacket, cursing softly. Gwen was walking beside Tosh, her jacket zipped to her chin and her teeth chattering. The hectic beams of their torches managed to catch Jack now and then, he was running ahead of them through the forest, as if he was late for an important appointment. His own torch was showing him the way and illuminating the lines of his head and the coat. Owen stumbled over a root and cursed softly. “Question,“ he said, looking at Jack through narrowed eyes. “Why did we have to wait for so long? It would have been much warmer out here this afternoon.“ 

Jack looked back at them. “Indeed, but the Fairies only come out at night. Estelle's words.“

Tosh tripped over a branch lying on the ground and Owen grabbed her arm to catch her fall.

“Thanks,“ she muttered. Tosh realized that they'd reached their destination only when Jack stopped abruptly, causing Owen to stumble against him. The beams of their torches illuminated the stone circle, which didn't seem impressive or mysterious. Actually, it was a bit small and disappointing, but Tosh knew enough stories about Roundstone Wood to stay alert. Jack was standing in the middle of the circle, his hands on his hips, while his team was waiting a few feet away. There was a noise and Tosh thought for a moment that she was hearing things, but then Gwen gasped and Owen turned his head, so she knew that the soft laughter had been real.

“They seem to be here,“ she whispered. 

Jack nodded grimly, but he didn't talk to the team, “You know why we're here.“ 

Again, there was the same laughter. Tosh noticed that Gwen was shuffling closer to Owen and she mirrored her. Owen straightened his shoulders and stuck his chin out. In that moment, Tosh felt more secure. 

The Fairies laughed again and Owen grabbed Tosh's arm to pull her closer. Jack had told them not to pull their weapons except if the Fairies attacked them. That made it harder to stay calm, Tosh would have never thought that she'd miss a gun. 

The childlike laughter sounded eerie, even more so because they knew who was behind it.

“Talk to me,“ Jack demanded. 

Laughter, the sound of wings and then silence.

***

Gwen knew that Rhys wasn't happy about her coming home that late. She assumed that he saw it as another way to avoid him, but he didn't say anything, just re-heated her dinner and sat down next to her at the kitchen bar while she was eating. He was thumbing through a furniture catalogue. Gwen's thoughts were revolving around Fairies and her chat with Ianto about Jack. For that very reason, she was startled when Rhys suddenly asked, “What about red?“ 

She tried to remember if maybe he'd said something before his question to explain its context. “What?“

“Red,“ Rhys repeated impatiently, holding up the catalogue. “Red. For the new couch.“

“Couch,“ Gwen said, nodding, still distracted. “Yeah, red sounds good.“

Rhys slapped the catalogue shut and leaned on the bar. “Okay, you're refusing to talk with me about our future, but could you find a bit of interest for the furniture of our flat? It's your job that destroyed the ones we had.“

Her eyes widened in surprise. “What?“ She'd thought that Rhys had believed her when she'd told him about the criminal youths. It seemed as if she'd thought wrong.

“Our flat gets destroyed and the first thing you do is call that bloke. Why would you if it's got nothing to do with work? Or did you call him to get his moral support? Wasn't mine enough?“

“Rhys,“ Gwen said slowly, “you had to go to work and I needed help with cleaning.“

“And Jack helped.“

“Yeah,“ she answered coolly.

“With the cleaning,“ Rhys repeated with a nod and got up.

“Where are you going?“ Gwen asked.

“Daf and Banana Boat want to get a pint with me. I'm outta here.“

She got up, following him into the hallway. “Rhys, don't you dare leave now.“

“Why not?“ he asked, putting on his jacket. “Do you need help with loading the dishwasher? Or with the ironing?“ He spread his arms and sneered, “Call Jack!“

The flat door slammed shut behind him. Gwen let out a noise of frustration and kicked the wall. “Shit!“ She wiped her eyes desperately. She had to admit to herself that it wasn't working out. Her job and Rhys. She couldn't have both. Now she knew why nobody else with Torchwood had a steady relationship. Because nobody, not even guys as sweet and patient as Rhys, could live for a long period of time with the secrets and the long working hours. 

Tears were running down her cheeks as she grabbed her mobile. But maybe there was another possibility. All she needed was a yes from Jack. 

Impatiently, she waited while the dial tone sounded. Then, _“Harkness.“_ He sounded a bit impatient, as if she'd interrupted him at something. Gwen suppressed the need to offer her help. More work wasn't the solution.

“Jack ...“ She stopped.

 _“Gwen. What's up?“_ He sounded worried now.

She wiped her eyes and said, “I don't think I can do this.“

It was silent for a moment, then Jack asked, _“What?“_

“Lie to Rhys. I have to be able to talk to him about my job, I can't-“

 _“Gwen,“_ he interrupted her, _“I think you know the answer.“_

She brushed hair out of her forehead. “Can't we talk about this? I'll come around and-“

 _“No.“_ Now strict. _“Gwen, no. You have to think about what you want to do, understood?“_

She wiped tears from her cheeks, looking for the perfect argument, but she couldn't find it.

_“Gwen?“_

“Understood,“ she muttered and rang off.

***

Jack hung up and braced his hands on his desk, he really hoped that he wasn't going to lose Gwen now. On the other hand, he could understand her plea, but he had to obey the Torchwood rules and not even his position as the leader allowed him to change one of the most important rules of the institute. Rhys would only be the first in a long line. He couldn't give in.

“Sir?“ Ianto asked from the door.

Jack raised his head and smiled. “Ianto.“ His eyes hung on the t-shirt and the tracksuit bottoms and his smile grew wider. “No suit?“

Ianto's mouth showed a small smile. “I think there are moments when a suit's not appropriate.“

Jack clapped his hands. “I'm a lucky guy.“ He unbuttoned his shirt and got rid of it before he pulled his t-shirt out of his trousers and spread his arms. “Let's get started.“

***

Gwen sighed deeply and closed the washing machine. She'd hoped to be able to talk to Jack and was thinking about driving to the base, but then she shook the thought off. She switched on the machine and did the dishes. She cleaned the kitchen. And the bathroom. Then the bedroom. At last, she grabbed her keys and left the flat.


	13. Chapter 13

**12.**

 

Ianto landed on his back, one of his hands trapped under him, one of Jack's hands pressing against his windpipe, the other one held the fist Ianto had raised to hit him. Jack's legs were pinning Ianto's to the floor and his chest prevented Ianto from sitting up. They were both breathing heavily, and Jack loosened his grip around Ianto's neck just so, simulating the stranglehold. “You have two minutes before you get too weak because of the lack of air.“

Ianto arched his back but Jack pinned him back on the hard mat that was covering the floor of the small training room. Ianto managed to free one of his legs and wrapped it around Jack's hip. He pushed up with the help of the hand trapped under his body and grimaced when his wrist protested the weight it had to move. He managed to flip them over, though, but before he was able to secure the position, Jack had flipped them back around and bent one knee to trap Ianto's hand on the floor. “What do you do now?“ Jack asked. “One minute left.“

Ianto tested how much he could move his legs and raised his eyebrows. “My knee, your groin.“

Jack nodded and let go of him. Ianto used the opportunity to flip them over again. Jack smiled. “That hurt,“ he agreed. “But ...“ He moved his hand. From the corner of his eye, Ianto saw him pull one of the plastic knives they kept for training purposes from the waistband of his trousers and ducked when Jack attacked him. He grabbed Jack's wrist and slammed it down on the mat. Jack grimaced and let go of the knife. 

Ianto grabbed it and held it to Jack's throat. He smiled. "I win, sir."

"Obviously." Jack grinned and Ianto put the knife away before looking down at him. He froze. Suddenly, he was back in that abandoned warehouse where they'd caught Myfanwy. Ianto had almost kissed Jack back then and only the sudden thought of Lisa had stopped him. He still didn't know if he'd almost kissed Jack to give him another reason to hire him or if he'd almost done it because he'd wanted to. Jack stuck his chin out – challenging just like he had back then – and Ianto couldn't stop himself.

When their lips touched, Jack's hands gripped Ianto's hips and pulled him closer. Jack opened his mouth and Ianto deepened the kiss. One of his hands burrowed in Jack's hair, turning his head just so, and Jack's hands pulled Ianto's t-shirt up to caress the warm skin of his back. He spread his legs to let Ianto lie in-between. It was so easy because this was something they knew, even though it felt new every single time. But their situation had changed, and Ianto realized what he was doing. He broke the kiss and got up. "No. No, I can't," he said and left the training room. He headed down the dimly lit hallway to the bathroom, opened his locker and hurried to find his mobile and car keys in the pocket of his suit jacket. He didn't want to take the time to get changed. He didn't want Jack to catch up to him.

"Ianto."

He froze. A hand touched his shoulder and Ianto turned away. "Don't," he gasped before he could stop himself.

Jack raised both hands. "Alright." He tilted his head and shoved his hands into his trouser pockets. Ianto closed the locker and leaned against it. He ducked his head and from the corner of his eye could see Jack coming closer and stopping next to him. " _You_ kissed _me_ ," Jack said.

Ianto raised his head to look at him. "I know. I'm sorry."

Jack smiled and rolled his eyes. "There's no need to be, Ianto."

"Of course. It was inappropriate and ..." He stopped and ducked his head again.

"Wrong?" Jack asked gently. He took another step closer. "No, Ianto. Never." He sighed deeply. "What's bothering you? Is it … memories?"

It would be so easy to say yes, but Ianto had promised himself not to lie to Jack again. "It's not just about Lisa," he admitted.

"Huh," Jack said. "Is it because I'm a man?"

Ianto pulled his shoulders up, unsure. Jack seemed to take that as a yes and asked gently, "So, is it because you can't pretend that you're doing it for Lisa or to get my trust any more?"

Ianto shook his head. "That's not it."

"Then what?"

"Patterns," Ianto answered with a helpless smile. "I get into patterns and it's hard to ... let go of them."

Jack drew his eyebrows together. "What kind of pattern are we talking about here?"

Ianto rubbed his forehead. "I'm not sure if I ... did that because I'm ... used to it. Like a ... habit." He looked at Jack. "I'm attracted to you, but I'm not gay."

"So this _is_ about sexuality," Jack said with a sigh. "Why's that so important to you people?" Ianto didn't answer and Jack nodded slowly. "Okay," he said. "That's something you have to work out for yourself and I wasn't very helpful. I'm going to hold back from now on until you know what you want. No flirting, no kissing ... promise." He smiled.

Ianto answered with a weak grin. "I'm afraid that's against your nature."

"I admit," Jack continued joking, "it's going to be hard. You're so ..." He shrugged. "It's going to be hard. Just know that I'm interested, Ianto. Very. I'm not looking for something serious and I doubt that you need a relationship right now, but ... if you ask for a bit of fun, then I'm going to say yes." He smiled, turned away and left.

***

Gwen stared at the flat door, undecided for a moment, but then she rang the bell. She was already wondering if this was such a good idea, but there was no turning back now. Tosh was wearing a robe when she opened the door. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Gwen," she said.

"Yeah," she answered and bit her lip nervously. It had been a stupid idea to visit a colleague she didn't know well enough for surprises that late in the evening.

Tosh was standing in the door, obviously not sure what to do about the unexpected guest, and Gwen shook her head. "I'm ... I caught you at a bad time, right? I should go." She turned away.

Tosh took her arm. "No, don't you dare. I was just taking a bath." Gwen turned back around to face her. Tosh smiled weakly and stepped out of the way. "Come in."

Gwen held up a bottle of wine. "I come bearing gifts."

Tosh smiled and closed the door. She motioned towards the kitchen. "There's a corkscrew in the drawer next to the fridge. I'm going to go get dressed."

Tosh's kitchen was surprisingly big and she had one of those kitchen islands Rhys kept going on about. Gwen wasn't a good cook, she didn't like spending her time in front of a stove, but Rhys was different. He loved cooking and he was fantastic.

Tosh returned wearing a t-shirt and old jeans. She was putting on a cardigan.

"I should have called. I just didn't want to be alone," Gwen said while Tosh got two glasses from the cupboard.

"No, no, it's okay," she answered, smiling at Gwen. She led her into the cosy living room and they sat down on the couch. Tosh had a lot of books. Gwen's eyes scanned the shelves and she noticed that most of them seemed to be specialised books and scientific essays. There was an illustrated book about Wales on the coffee table and some DVDs in the shelf next to the telly – classics, and now Gwen remembered Tosh and Ianto talking about old movies from time to time.

Gwen poured them wine and got comfortable on the couch. They sipped and an uncomfortable silence settled over the room, then Tosh asked, "So, what's the matter?"

Gwen sighed deeply. "Rhys and I had a row," she sipped her wine, "and now, Jack's mad at me, too."

Tosh frowned. "What's got Jack to do with it?"

"A lot," Gwen answered. She stared helplessly at the ceiling for a moment, then she brushed some hair out of her face and explained, "Rhys thinks that I'm having an affair with Jack."

Tosh smiled. "And he hasn't even met him yet," she said. Gwen had expected sympathy or amusement, so she was surprised by the simple acceptance. 

"Gwen," Tosh said, "Jack is Jack. He's overwhelming and larger than life and I know how it is to work with him for the first few months. Maybe you were a bit too enthusiastic."

Gwen shook her head. "It's not about Jack, really," she said. "It's the job. I've never done something that meant something before." She leaned her head back looked at Tosh. "This is the first time that I'm doing something really important." She rolled her eyes. "God, maybe I was too happy about it."

Tosh laughed. "Possibly, but I can relate."

Gwen sighed deeply. "I'd like to tell Rhys what I do. I asked Jack and he said that's impossible – that I'd have to decide what I want. I understand that. I'm just scared that ... I'll lose Rhys."

Tosh folded her legs on the couch. "At least, you have a life outside of work."

"You could have that, too," Gwen answered. "Owen could have that. Or Jack and Ianto."

Tosh shook her head. "Owen isn't interested in that kind of thing." She seemed sad for a moment, then she added, "As for Jack and Ianto ... I think Ianto's still grieving for Lisa and I don't know why, but Jack isn't one for relationships. I've been working for him for years. I never saw him with anyone who was more than a one night stand and even those are rare."

"What about you?" Gwen asked.

Tosh rolled her eyes. "I always want what I can't have."

"The wrong men," Gwen nodded. "I fell for those, too, before I met Rhys." For a moment, she hesitated, wondering if she and Tosh were close enough for the question she wanted to ask her. Her curiosity won out in the end, "Do I know him?" Tosh blushed. Gwen grinned. "Okay, I know him." The most logical answer was, "Jack?"

Tosh's eyes widened and she laughed. "Oh, God, that's so over!" She calmed down. "I had a crush on him when I started working for Torchwood."

"Did you two ever ..."

Tosh shook her head. "No. He knew that I wasn't really ... it was an emotional time for me and he was there and ... that's what kind of triggered it."

Gwen noticed that Tosh was leaving something out, but she decided not to ask what it was. "So, it's not Jack. Ianto?"

Tosh shook her head.

"You can't be serious," Gwen said. "Owen?"

Tosh blushed and avoided Gwen's eyes. Gwen had never expected to be right. Someone like Ianto – quiet, friendly and shy – was just the more logical answer. She could have understood if it had been Jack. Not someone like Owen who had another woman in his bed every night. He was dangerous. Gwen could understand Tosh – she'd always liked the more dangerous men, too, but they weren't the right ones for a steady relationship, and Gwen doubted that Tosh was the kind of woman who enjoyed one night stands or affairs. Tosh seemed to notice her scepticism, because she said, "Maybe you underestimate Owen."

"He's a jerk."

"Not always," Tosh answered. "He's been through a lot."

"Huh," Gwen said, undecided. She sipped her wine.

Tosh checked her watch. It was quiet for a few minutes. Gwen was wondering if she should go now, but she didn't want to return to an empty flat.

Tosh brushed a hand through her hair. "You want to watch a DVD?"

"Would that be alright?" Gwen asked, relieved.

"Of course," Tosh answered. "I'm always up late."

***

It was only a room, Jack told himself and unlocked the door – slowly, as if that would help him to face what was awaiting him. It was almost a ritual, playing out every few years. First Matthew's file and then the room he'd lived in during his pregnancy. He hadn't been able to leave the Hub when he began to show, and Jack had made one of the guest quarters a bit cosier for him. Cosier for both of them.

He opened the door and switched on the light. The bulb flickered reluctantly, but then it gave in and illuminated the room. The walls were bare, not even painted, and gave the quarters the atmosphere of a cellar. A double bed in one corner of the big room, a cradle in the other, next to it a rocking chair and a standard lamp. There was a record player on a small table, a desk lamp, and at the foot of the bed, an oven. It was simple, rustic and impersonal. Everything was covered in dust, the corners were cobwebbed.

_"I hate it down here," Matthew whispered, pulling the duvet higher. He was looking at the standard lamp that was giving off a dim light. "It's always dark, no matter how many lamps I switch on."_

_Jack put his head on Matthew's shoulder and slid one hand below the duvet to spread over the prominent bulge. "It's not long now. Then we can leave the Hub."_

_"We'll never be able to tell them the truth," Matthew said sadly, entwining their fingers._

_"About the baby?"_

_"About us," Matthew whispered. "You can never be officially his father."_

_"To be precise, I'm not," Jack answered. "He'll be made up from your DNA only. That's what fertilizers are for. You're single, you want a kid, go for it."_

_Matthew chuckled. "Just because I was stupid enough to push the wrong button doesn't mean you can't be his dad." His voice grew serious and he turned his head to look at his lover. "I can't do this alone, Jack."_

Jack's hand brushed over the bed and he passed the rocking chair to stand next to the cradle. The white linens had turned grey and were crusted with dust.

_"What are you thinking, Jack? You can't do this alone," Constantine Jane said calmly. He was a huge man with ice-grey eyes and short blonde hair. He was wearing a dark coat over a white shirt and dark trousers._

_Jack cradled the baby closer to his chest. He glared at the Torchwood leader in determination. "Watch me."_

_"Give me the baby, Jack," Constantine demanded._

_Eveline Mason stepped up to Jack and put a hand on his arm. She looked at him with sad green eyes and straightened her blouse – a dead give-away that she was nervous, something that didn't happen too often. The dark long hair framed a pretty face, and when she raised a hand to tuck a few strands behind her ears, her wedding ring reflected the dim light. Even though her husband had died three years ago, she kept wearing it._

_"We found a family for him. They're looking forward to taking care of him, and they won't ask questions."_

_"No," Jack said. "I wasn't here to protect Matthew when he needed me and I won't give up on Michael."_

_Constantine cursed loudly. "He is not your son!" he said, and Michael started to cry. Constantine ignored him. "The lad is gone. His property is now Torchwood's and that includes the baby, and we decided to give him to a family that will take care of him. That's it."_

_"He was never more than a guinea pig for you, same as Matthew," Jack answered. He glared at Constantine. "I wouldn't be surprised if you were responsible for whatever happened to him."_

_Eveline stepped in-between the two men and looked at Constantine pleadingly. He glared at her for a moment, but then he gave in and stepped back. Eveline put one hand on Michael's back and the other on Jack's cheek. "Jack, please."_

_"He's my son," he said and tears gathered in his eyes. "He's Matthew's."_

_"We waited long enough and we looked everywhere for him." Eveline shook her head. "He's gone."_

_"He'd never leave Michael."_

_Tears ran down Eveline's face. "I know. Something happened to him, but maybe we'll never know what it was." She sighed. "Jack, you can't care for him. Torchwood is your life."_

_He ducked his head and pressed his cheek against Michael's head, nuzzled the dark soft hair. He whimpered and held on to his coat, used to his smell and his voice, but upset because his father hadn't held him for weeks._

_Jack looked at Constantine. "I want to know where you're taking him."_

_"No," Constantine said._

_Eveline glared at him over her shoulder, but she agreed, "That wouldn't be good, Jack. But I chose the family, okay? He'll have wonderful parents." Her hands took Michael from him slowly. Jack sobbed and pressed a last kiss on his head._

The door to the room slammed shut and startled Jack out of his memories. He heard soft laughter and the sound of wings and his hands balled to fists. "You're too scared to show yourselves," he said, "but not too scared not to rummage through my mind. What do you want? Why Matthew?" He didn't receive an answer.


	14. Chapter 14

**13.**

 

When Tosh entered the tourist office the next day, Ianto was already standing behind the counter, sorting through the mail. She locked out the rainy morning and stepped closer. "Morning, Ianto," she smiled.

He raised his head from the letter he was reading and answered, "Good morning." He gifted her with a small smile, but it seemed tired.

Tosh put a paper cup with coffee on the counter. "For you."

He looked up and smiled. "Thank you. You didn't have to."

"No problem." It had been a while since she'd last brought Ianto coffee. On his last day before the suspension, one day after Lisa's death, she'd wanted to show him with a friendly gesture that she'd understood that they'd neglected him. He hadn't accepted the gift back then, but that had been a long time ago and much had changed. They'd become friends and as soon as those shadows left his eyes, everything would be alright again.

She leaned against the counter while Ianto removed the lid from the cup and sipped. Tosh took one of the letters that was addressed to her. "I had a visit from Gwen yesterday."

He looked at her in surprise. "Gwen?"

"Yeah. My reaction exactly." She put the letter into her jacket pocket and thumbed through one of the catalogues. "She had a fight with Rhys. Asked me all kind of questions about relationships in Torchwood." She looked at Ianto. "I think she's interested in Jack."

Ianto nodded. He'd obviously already known. Tosh wasn't surprised. He had amazing perception.

She shrugged. "I'm just saying, because ... you and Jack ..."

He shook his head and gifted her with a small smile. "There's no 'Jack and I'."

Tosh raised her eyebrows. "But I thought ... I thought you ..."

He shrugged. "I'm not sure any more." He cleared his throat. "Even if I was, there still wouldn't be a 'Jack and I'. He told me that he's not interested in something steady and I'm not either. It's too soon. I'll have to think about it."

She grabbed his hand. "Ianto," she said, "you can't be sure by thinking about it. It's not something you can analyze, Ianto, no matter how hard you try. It's something you have to feel."

***

Gwen knocked on Jack's office door and smiled when he turned his head to look at her. He seemed exhausted and tense. Gwen frowned, worried. "Are you okay?"

"Sure. I didn't sleep so good."

"I thought you didn't have to sleep," she smiled.

He shrugged. "I don't sleep much." He cleared his throat. "What's up?"

Gwen shoved her hands into her jeans pockets. She was embarrassed to have to apologize to Jack again. She felt as if everything was just too much for her at the moment.

"It's about yesterday."

Jack folded his hands on the table. "Okay." Expectant. Curious. Ready to forgive her.

"I was frustrated," she said. "I had a fight with Rhys and ... for a moment there, I didn't think."

Jack sighed deeply and massaged his forehead. "Gwen, I know that it's hard to lie to him, but you don't want him to know about this. I want you to have a normal life outside of Torchwood." He raised his eyebrows. "If he knew, he couldn't give that to you."

She nodded in understanding. "It's just hard," she said. "I feel like a liar."

"It won't get better if he knows."

"Sometimes, I just think that it would be easier with someone who knows."

"Maybe," Jack nodded.

"Did you have relationships like that?"

"With other Torchwood agents? Yeah."

She stepped closer to the desk, giving their talk an air of intimacy. "It's easier, right? To be able to talk about everything."

"It has its positive sides, but it can be a burden, too." He leaned on his desk. "Someone who knows too much of what you're going through every day can't possibly help you unwind in the same way somebody who has no idea can, and if you are traumatized, your partner is too, because they've seen the same."

"But that would help to overcome the trauma," she replied with a smile. She sat down and leaned on the desk to take his hand.

He pulled it away by leaning back in his chair. "But what you have is good, Gwen. Hold on to it." She stared at her hand and pulled it back to rest in her lap. She didn't know why she'd done that, why she always tried to get closer to him. She had Rhys. She was happy with Rhys, but something about Jack attracted her and made her want things that were different.

She realized that he was rejecting her and blushed. He smiled as if he knew what she was thinking, and maybe he did. "It has its good sides," he repeated, "but it's a burden." His lips thinned. "Believe me, I know."

Gwen hesitated for a moment, then she said, ”When you mentioned Matthew the other day, I … looked him up. There were photographs. You two seemed … very close.”

Jack smiled and gave a small nod. "Matthew … and others. It always shatters. One way or the other. The job's dangerous, people die or go missing. Relationships rip apart. You have to be very sure that it's worth it." He nodded at her. "Rhys is worth it."

"You don't even know him," Gwen said.

"He means that much to you that you'd risk getting fired because of him. You mean that much to him that he'd call a complete stranger to tell him to leave you alone."

Smiling, Gwen rolled her eyes.

"And that look on your face," Jack said, pointing at her, grinning crookedly, "that look ... tells me I'm right."

Gwen tilted her head. "I'd like to know ... about Matthew York," she said.

“Which photograph were you talking about?” he asked curiously.

She pulled the print-out from her jeans pocket and handed it over. Jack stared at the picture, the fingers of one hand pressed against his lips, and breathed deeply. "I almost forgot how he smiled," he muttered, his voice hoarse.

Gwen felt a bit guilty for ripping open old wounds that cut grief in Jack's face. She tried to console him, "It was seventy years ago."

"That's no excuse." He folded the picture and put it on the desk. The phone rang.

Gwen got up. "I should get to work any way." 

Jack nodded. When Gwen reached the door, he called, "Hey!"

She turned back around to him.

"I know that you, Owen and Tosh are fascinated about me – who wouldn't be?" He grinned, became serious and added, "But I'm telling you those things because I trust you to keep them to yourself."

She nodded and left.

***

The call had come in on Gwen's mobile half an hour ago. Now Jack took a turn and braked with squealing tires in Coedwig Street. He got out and, without saying a word, passed the police line and stormed towards the forest. Owen, Gwen and Tosh got out as well, glancing questioningly at each other. Owen rolled his eyes and Gwen nodded at Tosh who started to run after Jack while she and Owen went to talk to the inspector in charge. Gwen knew Inspector Derek Myles from when she'd been a policewoman. He'd investigated the murders that had led Gwen to Torchwood in the first place. The murders Suzie had committed with the alien knife to test the glove.

Derek nodded at her and, after Gwen had introduced Owen, she asked, "Derek, what happened?"

He raised his eyebrows. "I'd like to know first what Torchwood's doing here."

Gwen glanced at Andy. He was standing a few feet away in front of a white tent, talking to Gillian. When he caught Gwen's eyes, he smiled briefly. She didn't want to tell Derek who'd called them and instead said, "We're on to something here."

Derek scoffed and shoved his hands into the pockets of his neatly pressed suit. He looked to where Jack had disappeared. "What's going on with him?"

"Just tell us what we've got here," Owen said, entering the white tent. Gwen nodded at Andy and followed Owen. She heard Derek enter behind her. She grimaced and held a hand in front of her mouth. The tent smelled terribly of burned flesh. The crime scene unit and the coroner were huddled around a black lump that must have been a human not too long ago.

Owen put down his bag. "Somebody got too close to the stove." He ignored the shocked look of the coroner and knelt next to the burned corpse.

Derek and Gwen were watching him while Derek seemed to come to terms with the fact that he would have to let Torchwood in on the investigation. "This is one of the lumberjacks responsible for the forest clearance. There are plans for new homes on this side of the street. He stayed longer yesterday to do some measurements, and this morning, his colleagues found him like this."

Owen clucked his tongue. "He's a crisp. How do you know that he's who you think he is?"

"We'll check the dental records but we're pretty sure," Derek said. He pointed at the ground around the corpse. "No sign of a fire, as you can see. Our guys from the crime scene unit told me that there's no way he was just brought here after his death. He must've died here."

"But there are no remains of a fire," Gwen nodded.

Owen raised his head to look at her. "I'll have to take him with us."

Gwen left the tent and looked around to find Jack and Tosh, but she couldn't see them. Someone put a hand on her shoulder and she turned around to Andy. 

"Hi," she smiled.

"Hey!" He glanced around them, then he said, "I was right, wasn't I? This is connected to the thing we called you here for in the first place, right?"

Gwen smiled. "You did the right thing. We're looking into it."

***

Tosh tripped over a branch and cursed softly before gripping her bag tighter and running after Jack. She knew where he was headed and therefore wasn't all too concerned about losing him, but she didn't want him to do something stupid. When she was close to the stone circle, she heard him speak, "... you wanted. This isn't about a kid, right?"

She stopped. He was standing in the middle of the stone circle, staring into the trees. She couldn't see anything there.

"Are you doing this because of me? To punish me?" He seemed to wait for an answer. "Or for fun? Because it's too soon for you to be after another child."

Tosh whirled around when she heard the flapping of wings behind her, but there was nothing to see.

"Let the city go, let me go ... or I will stop you." With that, Jack turned around to Tosh and headed back.

When he passed by her, Tosh took his arm. "Did they threaten you?"

He stared down at her, his eyes angry and warning her not to ask. She didn't let this stop her. "Jack ... we have to know."

He turned his head away and stared at the ground. "They're only playing their sick games."

Tosh tilted her head. "Are you okay?"

He kissed her forehead. "I'm fine. Let's get back to the Hub."

***

When they entered the base, Ianto was waiting with a tray and four cups on it at the door. Owen was the first through, frowning angrily. "I wanted to take that corpse with me," he said, taking a mug. Jack was the next to enter and ignored Ianto and Owen on his way to his office. "Don't just run past me," Owen hissed and entered Jack's office, too. Owen slammed the door shut and a muted fight started. Ianto looked at Gwen and Tosh who'd stopped beside him.

"I see you had fun," he said.

The door opened again.

"Gwen!" Owen bellowed. "You help me. We have to go steal a corpse."

Gwen's eyes widened. "Oh, no!" she said. "I'm not stealing dead people with you."

"Well, it wouldn't be necessary," Owen said and shouted his next words in Jack's direction, "if we hadn't left as if the bloody devil was on our tails!"

Jack appeared in his door. "All of you will accompany me to Roundstone Wood tonight. We're going to talk to the Fairies. If they want to or not."

"Overtime?" Owen asked. "Perfect." He put the mug back on the tray and left the Hub. Gwen rolled her eyes at Tosh and followed him. Jack went back into his office and shut the door.

Ianto sighed deeply and Tosh nodded. "Oh, yes!"


	15. Chapter 15

**14.**

 

 _"You are aware that I've been wanting to go buy new furniture for a week but you keep turning me down?"_ Rhys asked. Gwen could hear his frown of doom over the mobile.

She sighed and looked out the passenger window of the car. "I'm so sorry, honey. I have to work."

 _"You always do,"_ Rhys muttered.

Owen hit the brakes a bit harder than necessary and Gwen glared at him. He ignored it. She focussed on her call. "Rhys, it's not like that. We'll do it tomorrow."

 _"No, Gwen. I'm going to go today. I'm going to go to IKEA and choose our new furniture. It's not as if you spend a lot of time in the living room any more, right?"_ Rhys rang off and Gwen uttered a choked, frustrated scream before hitting the dashboard.

"Hey, careful!" Owen called. "Mind the air bag!"

"I'm going to go mad," Gwen said, putting her mobile away.

Owen sighed. "I'm not exactly good at relationships, but ... maybe you should tell Jack to shove his orders where the sun doesn't shine and go home tonight. It's enough that Tosh, Jack and I go there. If we really need a fourth man, we'll just take Ianto."

"No," Gwen said. "If I give in now, I'll always have to give in and I'm not the kind of woman who gets behind on her job because of a guy. He'll just have to understand that."

Owen rolled his eyes. "Yeah. He'll just have to. It's no big thing that you're working for Mr. Good-Looks and spending practically all your time with him. He'll just have to understand."

Gwen looked at him. "It's not like that."

"How is it then?"

Gwen sighed deeply. "No idea." She stared out the window. "No idea."

***

"Sir?" Ianto asked hesitantly and entered Jack's office. Only the desktop lamp was on and Jack was resting in his chair, a glass of scotch in his hand and his eyes closed. Softly, Ianto stepped around the desk. Jack was breathing deeply and didn't react to his approach. “Jack?“ Ianto asked softly. Jack didn't stir and Ianto assumed that he'd fallen asleep. He stepped closer and took the glass from his hand to put it on the table. He froze when he saw Matthew York's opened file on the desk.

“You should put it away,“ Jack said. 

Ianto startled a bit and looked down at him before answering slowly, “Do you want me to put it away?“ Jack didn't answer, his gaze fixed on Matthew's picture. Ianto handed him his glass back. “I didn't think so,“ he said softly.

“I loved him.“

“I'm sure he deserved these feelings, sir.“

Jack laughed bitterly. “Nobody deserves these feelings from me, Ianto. I leave them or they leave me.“ He emptied the glass with a gulp. “There's always a point where I … where my condition rips the relationship apart.“

“You prefer to live without one?“

“That was enough the last few decades.“ He sighed. “I can't start something new … I won't stay, Ianto. Soon … I'll leave. Somebody promised me that.“

Ianto frowned and was about to speak, but Owen opened the door and entered. “Jack, Tosh and me found something.“

Jack got up and left the office. Ianto closed Matthew's file and followed them to the med bay, where Gwen and Tosh were standing at the railing, looking down at the corpse on the examination table in the med bay's basin. Owen cleared his throat and stood next to it. “This man was badly burnt,“ he said. 

Jack shoved his hands in his trouser pockets and leaned against the wall at his back. “Why do I even pay you?“ he asked. Ianto joined Gwen and Tosh. 

Owen ignored Jack's comment. “But he didn't just plain old burn.“ He picked up the hand that had been lying next to the body on the table, severed. 

Gwen frowned. ”When did that happen?” 

“Came off during the examination. Happens sometimes.” He pointed to the palm. “I found out why he died and it wasn't a fire that killed him. If you look a little closer – and that's why I get paid, by the way – there's an entry wound.“

Gwen frowned. “Caused by what?“

“An electrical charge.“

Jack pushed away from the wall and folded his arms. “Maybe something like lightning?“

“Maybe,“ Owen answered. He let go of the arm. “Normally, you don't become that crispy from a lightning strike, though ...“

“But we're facing off against the Fairies here,“ Jack nodded. “They can manipulate the elements, they choke the air out of our lungs or ...“ He swallowed. “... drown us from the inside. They can manipulate the weather.“

Tosh continued, “They're able to manipulate lightning. So, I ran a scan and was able to determine when the man died. There was weird weather yesterday at eleven pm.“

Gwen bit her lip thoughtfully. “He was out late.“

“He was up for a promotion,“ Tosh explained. “There was a meeting with the building authority and forestry office scheduled today. He wanted to make sure that everything was ready for that meeting. Environmentalists threatened to sue to stop the new houses. Roundstone Wood is very old. Even though only part of it will be cleared, the project has enemies.“

“But if this is how the Fairies kill, then what has the Banshee to do with all of this?” Gwen asked.

Jack raised his eyebrows. “Maybe she murdered the guy. It's possible that she has the same powers the Fairies do. Maybe she's related to them.”

Tosh nodded. “That would explain the lack of Rift activity. The Rift didn't even stir while we were dealing with the Fairies. That Banshee's home is here.”

Gwen crossed her arms. “What's the plan?”

Jack looked at her. “The Fairies and the Banshee prefer to show themselves at night. That means that we're going to go there again tonight.”

Owen shook his head. “Because that was so helpful yesterday. The Fairies won't talk to us.”

“If that's the case again tonight,” Jack said, “we'll confront the Banshee. I noticed that one of the houses is up for sale. It's close to the forest. We'll use it as our base camp.”

“Doing what?” Owen asked.

“Talking to her.”

“She won't just knock at the door and talk to us, Jack,” Owen remarked.

“She will. She talked to me and Ianto when we were waiting for her in the street. She wants to be heard. She'll know we're there to listen.”

***

Gwen was cold. She tried not to think about the fact that she could be at home now instead of trudging through a dark forest, looking for Fairies. On the other hand, being in Roundstone Wood meant that she didn't have to deal with Rhys. Even though Owen's mood had hit the point of no return towards hell a few minutes ago and he kept cursing and complaining while trying to keep up with Tosh and Gwen. “I hate forests,“ he said. “They're dirty and they smell.“

Gwen rolled her eyes. “That's moss and it smells wonderful.“

“It's disgusting,“ Owen answered. Tosh and Gwen threw each other a long-suffering glance in the light of their torches. They picked up their speed to keep up with Jack who was walking in front of them with his coat flapping behind him. Owen was still walking a bit slower behind them. “There are puddles everywhere and the ground's muddy and the leaves get stuck to my shoes and the nuts and pine cones fall on my head.“ 

Gwen looked at Tosh. “Please, may I kill him?“

“Jack would fire you,“ Tosh answered with more than a hint of regret.

Gwen sighed. “Bloody hell!“

Something hit the ground behind them and the women stopped. They laughed when they saw Owen getting up from the ground. He glared at them. “And roots. Fucking roots!“

“Hey!“ Jack called. “Don't get left behind.“ He tapped his comm link. “Ianto, everything alright at your end?“

***

Ianto turned the volume of the music down and answered, “Everything's quiet. No activity in the street.“

_“Just call if you need us. Don't you dare and try to catch her on your own.“_

“Yes, Captain.“

Jack disconnected the link. Ianto turned the volume up again and looked out the SUV's front window to keep an eye on Coedwig Street, but everything was quiet. The houses were dark and nobody was out. Ianto was a bit nervous and checked his gun – again. Then he leaned back in the driver's seat and waited.

***

When they were able to see the stone circle, Jack stopped. “You stay here,“ he said.

“What?“ Gwen asked in disbelief. “No way.“

He looked at her warningly. “There's a bigger possibility that they'll talk to me alone.“

“Why?“ Gwen asked. 

Jack's face hardened. “I don't want to go into it.“

Owen kicked against a stone. “Why did we come with you in the first place then?“ he asked. 

Jack's lips thinned. “Stop it,“ he said and headed towards the stone circle, his torch searching the nearby shadows. 

Owen snorted. "Yeah, we just wait here and freeze something off."

Gwen smirked at him. "It's not as if I'd miss something you could freeze off." Her eyes slid down to his lap and Tosh giggled. Owen flipped them his finger.

Jack stopped a few feet away from the stone circle. "I'm here," he said softly. "You owe me at least an explanation, since I was the one who gave you your last chosen one."

Laughter. More than he'd gotten in the afternoon.

"You remember that then," he nodded. A light flickered between the trees, then it was dark again. "You took Estelle – without any reason as to why. You took Jasmine. You owe me!" Something rustled, then he saw them. They appeared between the branches, wearing their real faces. Some of them weren't floating, but sitting on the trunks. He heard his team getting their weapons ready. "Don't, they won't work!" he called.

Owen said, "Yeah, let us make sure, okay?"

Jack turned back to the Fairies. One of them came closer and gave him a smile that showed her sharp teeth. "We are already returning the favour," they said, talking in one voice.

Jack focussed on the Fairy closest to him, since she seemed to be the speaker of the group. "By killing innocent people."

"We did not kill him."

"I don't believe you."

The Fairies laughed. "Our sister killed him."

Jack's grip around the torch tightened. "Why?” They just laughed. Jack hissed, “Stop her."

"We can't." They laughed again.

Jack put his free hand on his hip. "Then we will."

The Fairies hissed and their faces became masks of rage. "You can not. She would kill you."

"I'm unbreakable," Jack answered.

"You are not strong enough to stop her, Jack Harkness." Some of them repeated "Not strong enough, Jack Harkness" and laughed. The speaker came even closer and asked softly, "Does it still hurt, Jack Harkness?"

It was a trap, built to provoke him. Jack knew that. It didn't stop him from asking, "What?"

"The little boy Michael." The Fairies laughed. "Matthew." The speaker came close enough for him to look into her deep, old eyes when she said, "Estelle."

He'd pulled his gun before he knew what he was doing. The Fairies laughed and disappeared.

"Huh," Owen said from behind him. "Well done."


	16. Chapter 16

**15.**

 

When he saw the team coming out of the forest, Ianto opened the car door and got out. Jack headed towards him with both his hands in the pockets of his coat, while the others hurried to one of the houses. 

“The Fairies didn't help you?” Ianto assumed. 

Jack shook his head. He watched Ianto shoving a gun into the waistband of his trousers and smiled. "Your first field mission. You alright?"

"Fine, sir." He followed Jack to join the others. Tosh was using alien technology to unlock the door. Owen and Gwen were with her, their weapons drawn.

"The house is not inhabited," Jack explained while he headed with Gwen and Ianto towards the door. "It's closest to the forest." The house was located at the end of Coedwig Street, standing in the bend of the impasse, between the houses on one side and the forest on the other side. It was big and had a second storey, there was no furniture in it, but the walls had been freshly painted. On a small table next to the door were some brochures from an estate agent.

Jack closed the door and switched on his torch. "No lights," he ordered. "We don't want any attention." He turned to Ianto. "Did you bring the mobile cell?"

"Yes, sir." Ianto showed him the pebble-sized device. "It's fully charged. Thanks to Tosh's modifications, it should work for about an hour."

Gwen tucked some strands of her hair behind her ear. "Do you think the Banshee will let you catch her with it?"

Jack shrugged. "It's the best we have to contain a prisoner."

Owen returned from the garden and closed the porch door to keep out the cool air. "There's a gate connected to the woods. A probable escape route."

Jack shook his head. "I doubt that she uses doors."

"What are we going to do now?" Tosh asked.

Jack sighed deeply. "We wait."

***

An hour had gone by and they were still sitting against the wall in the living room. At the beginning, they'd all had an eye on the garden through the windows and the porch door. By now, Gwen was checking her text messages, Owen was playing Solitaire on his mobile and Tosh was trying to tell him what to do next, which he ignored happily. Jack was the only one watching the garden. Ianto was watching him. Jack was at his most attractive when he was focussing. It didn't matter what was catching his attention – it could be a technology he was studying or a witness he was trying to get everything out of. Or it could be during sex. It was as if Jack's whole world would center onto to that one bed and the person he was with. It didn't matter that Ianto had always been the one penetrating Jack – he'd never wanted them to reverse roles, never wanted that much intimacy and loss of control. Jack was radiating power and confidence and Ianto hadn't been able to resist him in the long run. Ever so slowly, the need to to do this, the need to gain Jack's trust and to keep him from walking the Hub at night had turned into something Ianto had looked forward to, even though it made him cry from shame as soon as Jack had gone to sleep. Now, Ianto started to wonder what it would be like to let Jack take complete control, to let him take him.

Jack turned his head to look at him and raised his eyebrows questioningly. Ianto shook his head and avoided Jack's eyes to hide that he was blushing. Jack's fingers closed around his and squeezed gently.

"Jack," Owen said. Jack turned his attention back to the garden and let go of Ianto's hand. She was standing in the middle of the lawn, illuminated by their torches, staring at the team – an unusual, eerie being in a garden in Cardiff. Jack got up and went towards the porch door. The team followed him with a few feet of distance, guns at the ready.

Jack slid the door open and entered the garden. "Hello," he said. The Banshee looked at him with sad dark eyes.

"Jack?" Gwen asked. "Should I translate?"

"That's not necessary," Jack said. "She knows what we're saying, don't you?"

She whispered, "Fy mlentyn, fy mlentyn bach."

"Stop it," Jack said angrily and stepped a bit closer to her. He pointed his Webley at her. "I played by your rules but my patience kind of runs out when innocent people die." Her eyes barely narrowed, but Jack saw it. He smiled. "Yeah, you know exactly what I'm saying."

"Murderer," she said.

"You're the murderer here."

"I can see it in your mind. More than four thousand lives lost because of you."

"You can read my mind just a easily as the Fairies even though I was trained not to let anyone in. You're one of them, aren't you?”

She didn't answer. Jack asked, ”What is this about? Why kill a worker who wasn't doing anything but ...” He stopped and his eyes widened in sudden understanding. “It's the forest. We were so focussed on the residents and the Fairies that we missed the obvious. The forest is being cleared.” Her eyes showed a flicker of pain. Jack nodded. “The forest's the child you're crying over.”

“Wouldn't you grieve your children, Jack Harkness?” she asked sadly. She tilted her head. “You already did. Michael … and others.”

Jack stepped towards her threateningly. “Get out of my head.” He hated the fact that the Fairies chose his memories to hurt him. 

“I'm not one of them,” the Banshee said. “I'm not related to them … not by blood.”

Jack frowned. “But you have no difficulties in invading my mind. That means you're more than just a plain old alien. You're one of the really old races, right?" He tilted his head. "What are we dealing with here? Dironder, Trejk … I never met a Ha-ol before. Are you one?"

"Murderer."

"You keep repeating yourself."

She didn't answer.

"Whatever," Jack said. "It doesn't matter in the long run. You have to leave. You're scaring these people."

"They are murderers. Humans." She spat the word out. "A plague the universe should be cured from."

Owen scoffed. "I don't exactly love you either."

Jack pulled her attention back to him. "I'm giving you a chance to leave. If you don't, Torchwood will force you."

The Banshee laughed. "Torchwood. Worse than all the others. Thieves, murderers, arrogant specimens of your race. You think everything belongs to you. Your archives." She stared at Ianto and he couldn't shake the feeling that she was going through his mind. He didn't feel anything, but even Jack was unable to stop her and he was stronger than Ianto when it came to things like these.

The Banshee was still staring at Ianto, curiously and questioningly. "Filled with things that do not belong to you. Things you got by shedding blood. Things you are too young for." She looked back at Jack. "The human race will always be too young."

"I'll take that as a no," Jack said, unimpressed. He tightened the hold around his gun and she vanished. "Damn!" Jack cursed.

Tosh asked, "Where did she go?"

Jack was heading for the garden gate. "Just a guess, but I think she'll go where she feels safe."

The forest. They left the garden and all of them switched on their torches to look around.

"We'll split up," Jack said. "Owen, Gwen, Tosh, check out the stone circle. Ianto, you stay with me." He activated his comm link. "Stay in contact."

***

"Stay close to me," Jack said and Ianto nodded nervously. He was holding his gun in one hand while his other was gripping the torch. Jack seemed tense, but calm, experienced. The darkness and the noises of the forest didn't seem to bother him or make him nervous. Ianto kept turning his head every time he heard something rustle. Jack seemed to know instinctively which noises and shadows he should pay attention to. Jack switched his torch off and slid it into his coat pocket. Without the least sign of hesitance, he shoved his hands in Ianto's trouser pocket.

"Sir!"

"I'm not flirting," Jack said. He smiled and showed him the mobile cell he'd gotten out of Ianto's pocket. "Switch off the torch."

The moon was out and, combined with the near city lights, gave the woods an eerie glow, filled with shadows, but they were able to see enough to navigate through the trees.

***

"Okay," Owen whispered and Gwen cursed the fact that he couldn't keep his mouth shut. "I don't want to know what I just stepped into."

"You're such a princess," Gwen hissed. They passed by the last few trees and reached the stone circle. Their torches searched the trees, but everything was quiet.

Owen tapped his comm link. "Jack, no sign of the Banshee or the Fairies."

 _"Keep looking,"_ Jack answered.

***

Jack grabbed Ianto's arm and stopped him. "Sh!" he said, pulling Ianto closer and pushing him up against a tree. He nodded to a nearby hill where, against the dark night sky ... something was moving. It seemed as if the air was moving in small waves. Almost invisible. Jack's lips neared Ianto's ear and he whispered, "You stay here." Ianto didn't want to, but he nodded. He leaned against the tree and pointed his weapon at the weird turbulence. Jack crept towards the hill. He pointed his Webley at the Banshee and said loudly, "Not the best cloak I've ever seen."

The Banshee appeared out of the turbulence, turned to Jack and before Ianto could understand what had happened, a bolt of lightning hit Jack square in the chest. He screamed and his gun gave off a shot. The Banshee just stared at him and even more bolts shot in Jack's direction. He collapsed, screaming in pain. His clothes started to smoulder, and Ianto realized in terror that he was going to get burned to death. He would end up like the corpse in the Hub.

Ianto left his place. His shouts mixed with Jack's shrill screams and Ianto shot. The Banshee stopped attacking Jack and turned her attention to him. Ianto jumped out of the way when a bolt of lightning headed towards him, but before the Banshee could attack a second time, Jack was on her. "Ianto!" he shouted and something flipped through the air and landed in the leaves on the ground. Ianto tried to ignore the Banshee's new attack on Jack, his screams and the smell of burning flesh. He fell to his knees and looked for the mobile cell.

***

Tosh whirled around when a shot rang out, echoing through the woods. "Oh, God!" she said.

Owen tapped his comm link. "Jack? Ianto?"

Another shot rang out and Owen ran in the direction it had come from. Gwen and Tosh were hot on his heels. Owen stopped abruptly, causing Gwen to run into him. "Bloody, hell, Owen, what ..." Then she saw them. The Fairies were floating in the air just a few feet away.

"Oh, fuck!" Owen said. They raised their weapons.

Tosh's voice shook when she whispered, "That won't harm them." Gwen didn't care. She shot, but the bullet didn't even seem to graze the Fairy. Gwen tried to shoot a second time, but suddenly, she was unable to breathe. Her chest tightened and she gasped. The forest around her began to spin and she felt the hard, moist ground under her knees. She coughed, her gun fell from her numb fingers and she raised her hands to her neck as if she could pry lose the invisible hands choking her. She sobbed when she didn't manage it. Beside her, Owen fell to his knees and she heard Tosh moan and the last thing she thought before collapsing into darkness was that Jack was right.


	17. Chapter 17

**16.**

 

Jack screamed.

Ianto found the device and activated it before throwing it in the direction of the Banshee. When the cell trapped her, her bolts of lightning couldn't penetrate the energy barrier, causing Ianto to almost cheer in relief. She tried to escape, but she couldn't leave the prison. They had one hour. He ran towards Jack and knelt beside him, dropping his weapon and switching on his torch. Ianto wanted to touch him but big parts of Jack's skin were burnt black, and his clothes were still smouldering and had a pattern of burn marks. Ianto wondered just how long the dead man in the Hub had had to suffer, who was burnt so much worse than Jack.

He searched for a pulse and couldn't find one. "Jack?" He gasped. "Oh, no ... Jack?" He turned away. He felt sick at the smell of burned skin and had to take a few deep breaths of fresh air. 

A resounding snap caused him to whirl around to the Banshee and he froze when his eyes found hers. She was free. The mobile cell was nothing more than a smouldering mass of fried technology. For just a second, Ianto considered going for his weapon, but he decided against it, since she would be able to see the movement and she would be faster than him. She kept staring at him. Ianto was expecting a deadly bolt of lightning, something, but she was just looking at him curiously. Somebody grabbed his wrist and Ianto startled, but before he was able to turn around and face his new attacker, an arm was looped around his shoulders and he was pulled against a warm chest.

“Don't move,” Jack's voice said. The Webley was thrown over Ianto's shoulder to land at the Banshee's feet. “I'm unarmed now. Just like him. Nobody's trying to hurt you.” Ianto leaned back against Jack's chest. Jack answered the silent question with a quick, “I'm fine.” The Banshee's eyes narrowed mistrustfully. Ianto heard Jack ask, “Gwen? Owen?” After a moment of silence, “Tosh?”

“Jack?”

“The Fairies,” he answered. Ianto's heart skipped a beat. He looked up at the Banshee who was watching them attentively. “Get up with me,” Jack said, and without looking away from the Banshee, Ianto obeyed. Jack's hand squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. “I want you to go and see if the others are okay.”

“But I can't leave you-”

“Yes, you can,” Jack said. He addressed the Banshee, “Right? We'll be fine as long as nobody loses their temper. We'll have a chat. She won't attack me if I don't attack her. I don't think that's her way. Or she would have killed you.”

Ianto took a step to the side, not completely sure. When the Banshee didn't do anything other than focus her attention on Jack, he started to run towards the stone circle, hoping he wouldn't need his gun.

***

Ianto stopped abruptly when he found the team. They were lying on the ground, motionless. For just one second, Ianto thought that he'd come too late, but then Owen coughed and gasped. Relief ripped Ianto from his terror and he crouched between Gwen and Tosh and checked their pulse. When he touched her, Tosh opened her eyes and took deep gulps of air. Ianto pulled her up and braced her against his chest. He looked at Owen. “Are you okay?“

Owen moaned and collapsed next to Gwen who'd begun to cough. “What about you?“ he asked.

“No problems,” Ianto lied. “We caught her. Jack's with her.”

Tosh sounded hoarse, “I though they'd kill us.“ 

Ianto peered into the forest, but nothing moved. “They could have killed you. Why didn't they?“

“I'm not too bothered to find out,“ Owen said. “I'm just glad we survived.“

Gwen made a pensive face. “Maybe they just wanted to defend the Banshee.”

Ianto nodded. ”Maybe.”

***

The Banshee was looking calmly at Jack in front of her. Jack was watching her, too, in the light of his torch, but he still didn't recognize which race she could belong to. “Where do you come from?“ he asked. 

The Banshee stared at him. “Where do _you_ come from?“ she replied.

“I'm a human,“ Jack said, keeping it vague. 

She tilted her head. “A smart answer.“

“I'm not that stupid,“ Jack said, smiling sarcastically. “So?“ 

“Puleyn,“ she answered. 

Jack narrowed his eyes. “Where's that supposed to be?“

“That does not matter. It ceased to exist a long time ago.“ She paused and pain masked her face. “We destroyed it, and we came here. Earth … only inhabited by shadows and plants.“ Her face darkened. “Everything changes.“

“You've been here that long?“ he asked curiously. 

The Banshee nodded. “Yes.“ She smiled. “We found our sisters – not born on this world, but part of it.“ 

“The Fairies? They don't come from here?“

“How can one be from a place they helped to form?“ She shook her head. “They come 'from here', as you call it, but they are part of this planet. Older than the light.“

“Why are you threatening the people living here?“

“I am not,“ the Banshee answered. “I just cannot bear it any more.“

“What?“ Jack asked.

“Humans,“ the Banshee said. “We were so hopeful for their kind. We were there for them, part of their life, until they did not believe any more in ghosts hiding in the shadows. We thought that they would become like no other race before. They are so resourceful, so fast. Look at them, emerging from darkness, especially the past three hundred years.“ Her face darkened. “Look what they do with that knowledge. The forests burn, the air is screaming for relief and the oceans are dirty. We destroyed our world. Just like they are about to destroy theirs. How long can they go on like this? How long until the scars go too deep? What will happen then?“

Jack said, “Humanity will leave Earth.“

“To do the same to other planets!“ the Banshee answered. “This forest is a holy place … it is the realm of our sisters and one of the oldest woods on this world and they are destroying it. To build houses!“

“That's all?“ Jack asked, getting angry. “You killed a man because of that?“

“He wanted to kill me,“ the Banshee hissed. “He attacked me with a blade, insulted me … he did not know who I was. They forgot their own history and those who showed them the way. There were times they treated us with respect. Earth is crying. I just wanted to dry some of its tears.“

Jack shook his head and stepped as close as he could without touching her. “You can't,“ he whispered. “I'm sorry.“ He knew what would happen to Earth. The air poisoned, the forests destroyed, the oceans emptied and then, humanity would look for a new home, supported by the alien life they'd befriended, and then … many billion years from now, scarred by the ruins of human life, the sun would swallow Earth.

The Banshee's old eyes showed her grief. “We cannot give up.“

“These humans have to find their own way,“ Jack said softly. “I've seen the future,“ he whispered. “I was born in the future. The humans will see their faults, but they have to realize it on their own. They're too proud.“

“I know your world,“ the Banshee said. “I saw it in your mind. I know who you are. One of them, yet you aren't. Human, scarred by evolution.“

“If you can see my thoughts you can see that I'm not lying.“ He stared at her.

The Banshee just looked at him, until her face showed surprise. “You are the companion of the lonely god. Scarred by more than evolution – by the love of a girl: Eternal life. You did not tell them,“ the Banshee said. “How can I trust you who does not trust those close to his heart?“ 

“It's better that way,“ Jack said. “Some things are hard to explain.“ He took a deep breath, “You have to leave this world.“ He smiled sadly. “This fight is over.“

The Banshee stepped closer. “They are like children.“

“Yes,“ Jack nodded. He thought that it was that very fact that drew the Doctor to humans. “Children won't listen if you tell them the fire is hot. They'll touch it either way.“ 

The Banshee looked at him. Then she nodded, slowly, and a soft smile showed on her face. “You are wise, Face of Boe.“

“That's not my name any more,“ Jack said. 

The Banshee shook her head. “Not any more … not yet.“ Jack frowned. The Banshee looked towards the sky. “I accept your words, Jack Harkness. We will leave.“

Jack didn't know what made him believe her, but he nodded gratefully. The Banshee stayed where she was. “My sisters are trying to help you,“ she said. 

“By triggering painful memories?“

“You hate them.“

“I have reasons.“

The Banshee stared at him thoughtfully. “Maybe that's why you don't understand them. Maybe you don't want to listen.“

Jack's face hardened. “I don't need the help of those monsters.“

The Banshee tilted her head. “As you wish.“ And she was gone.

“Bloody hell!“ Owen said. Jack turned around and spotted his team between the trees. Owen crossed his arms. “Jack, she escaped.“

“I let her go,“ he answered. “They'll leave. All of them.“

Gwen stared at him in disbelief. “She killed someone.“

“To defend herself,“ Jack answered. “She never did anything else but defend herself.“ Owen tried to speak up, but Jack said, “I had the chance to solve a conflict without losing more lives and I did.“

Owen put his hands on his hips. “Fine. Whatever you two talked about, I really hope you didn't let her go because she told you how beautiful your eyes are.“

Tosh frowned at him, then she asked, “What do we do now?“

Jack sauntered to join his team. He put an arm around Tosh and the other around Ianto, answering, “Now, we go home.“


	18. Chapter 18

**17.**

 

It almost broke Gwen's heart. She stared at the kitchen counter, romantically set for two people. There were candles on it, a bottle of wine, opened but not touched. On one plate, a furniture catalogue was waiting, and when she opened the pages marked by sticky notes, she found pictures of couches and coffee tables, and notes from Rhys. Which he liked, which he could live with if she wanted it, and which he would never say yes to. Gwen laughed softly and put the catalogue down. 

She went into the bedroom and got undressed before crawling under the duvet and plastering herself to Rhys. He blinked sleepily and turned on his back. He wrapped one arm around her, pulling her closer. Gwen kissed him tenderly and put the head on his shoulder. “Sorry for not coming home for dinner.“

“We can re-heat it,“ Rhys said.

“I love you,“ she said.

“I know,“ he sighed.

***

Tosh leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. Owen stood next to her, watching the news reporter.

_“It came as a surprise that the clearing of Roundstone Wood was stopped today before really starting. Apparently, this part of the forest belongs to an old aristocratic Welsh family whose descendents are living in Japan. They won't allow any changes to be made on their property.“_

Tosh sighed deeply. “Sad thing is,“ she said, “that that won't change a thing. One forest saved, but that's nothing compared to the amount that gets destroyed.“

Owen shrugged. “I guess.“

The reporter smiled. _“Harold Saxon is in Cardiff. His followers greeted the candidate for prime minister in the upcoming elections at a fundraising banquet last night in St. David Hotel. He'll stay for three days and will take part in several political debates.“_

***

Jack leaned back in his chair and smiled in amusement. “You know,“ he said, “I've never been a Lord before.“

Ianto put a stamp on Jack's signature and slid the owner document for Roundstone Wood in a file. “I doubt you are the kind of man for such a position, sir.“

“I just never know when you're insulting me,“ Jack said. 

Ianto suppressed a smile. “I wouldn't dare, sir.“ He leaned against the desk. “I set up an e-mail account for your alter ego. I suggest checking your e-mails regularly but I doubt that there will ever be a problem.“

Jack nodded. “Not very likely.“ He smiled. “Thanks, Ianto.“

“What I'm here for. You think they've left?“

Jack sighed deeply. “Yeah. Yeah, I think they did.“ He opened the drawer and got out Matthew's file. His fingers brushed over the folder, then he held it out towards Ianto. “Please take it back to the archives.“

Ianto raised his eyebrows and took the file hesitantly. “Are you sure?“

Jack shook his head. “Absolutely not. Do it either way, but ...“ He closed his eyes for a moment. “But keep it within reach, okay?“

“Of course, sir.“

Jack smiled gratefully and changed the topic. “The camping equipment we own, Ianto ... is it still around?“

Ianto frowned thoughtfully. “If I put my mind to it, I can certainly find it. A new case, sir?“

“There are people vanishing in the Brecon Beacons. We should take a look.“

Ianto was tempted, just for a second, to ask Jack if he could accompany the team. He wanted to prove that he could handle field work. But Jack was faster and spoke before Ianto could finish his thought, “Will you be able to manage the Hub two or three days without us?“ 

That made the decision a lot easier. He faked a small smile. “I thought I was already doing that,“ he said. Jack laughed – more open than he'd been since Estelle's death, and Ianto thought that it didn't matter if he accompanied the team or not as long as he would be able to help Jack in every way he needed him to.

***

Midweek, in the early morning, the furniture store was enjoyably empty. Their hands linked, Gwen and Rhys sauntered down the aisle between couches and were happy that only a few other customers were present. Gwen had called Jack first thing and he'd given her the morning off, wondering aloud why she hadn't asked him for it a week ago. During breakfast, she and Rhys had resolved their fight. They'd decided to renovate the flat later and had agreed to discuss getting a new flat when they were more used to Gwen's new schedule, or lack thereof. Also, Gwen had promised to pay more attention to her working hours as far as was possible.

“That's nice,“ Rhys said, pointing at a sickly bright green couch. 

Gwen stared at him, shocked. “Yeah. For a student caught in the sixties.“

He frowned. “What don't you like about it?“

“Did you look at it?“ Gwen asked in disbelief. “Seriously?“ 

He smiled, pulled her closer and wrapped an arm around her hips before dropping a kiss in her hair. “I'm glad you're having the morning off.“

She shrugged. “If there's an emergency, I'll have to leave, but as it stands, I'm free until after lunch.“ 

“Wonderful. Five hours just for me,“ Rhys grinned. 

Gwen nudged him with her elbow. “Stop it, Rhys.“ She sighed deeply. “We'll have to work this problem out better.“

“Yeah,“ he nodded.

“I can't quit the job. It's important to me.“

“Yeah. I noticed. It's just that … you never talk about it.“

“Because I'm not allowed to.“ She kissed his cheek. “I'd tell you everything. You know that.“

“I know. It's just new to me. Give me some time,“ he said.

“You got it,“ she said and kissed him tenderly. “All the time in the world.“

***

Ianto switched off the computer in the backroom of the tourist office and went into the main room to make sure that everything was in order. The door to the Hub opened and Owen, Gwen and Tosh entered. 

“We're out of here, Ianto. See you in a couple of days,“ Owen said and made a show of holding the door to the office open for Gwen, who rolled her eyes at him and waved at Ianto. They left the tourist office. 

Tosh waited at the counter and smiled at Ianto. “Are you sure you don't want to join us?“ she asked. “Maybe it'll be fun, you know. Camping, a campfire …“ 

He shrugged. “I'll think about it, but I got the impression that Jack wants someone to stay behind.“ 

“You can always ask,“ she said, waved at him and left the office. The door fell shut and silence returned. Ianto checked his watch. He should leave, too, and get some rest, but his thoughts were still revolving around the Brecon Beacons. The team would depart early the next morning, leaving Ianto alone for several lonely days. He realized for the first time that, Rhiannon aside, he had no one outside of the Hub. Thoughtfully, he looked at the door, then he made a decision and left the office to go down into the Hub. 

The lights in the main Hub were dimmed and Myfanwy was circling the water tower. When she saw him, she landed a few feet away, waddling hopefully towards him. “I don't have any chocolate,“ Ianto said, showing her his empty hands. Myfanwy growled sullenly and recommenced her flight. Ianto entered Jack's office. The hatch to Jack's quarters was open and Ianto knelt to look down.

“Sir?“ he asked. 

Jack was sitting on his bed, looking at old photographs. He raised his head and smiled when he saw him. “Ianto, you're still here?“

“On my way home, actually,“ he answered. “I just have something I'd like to talk to you about. May I ...“

“Sure.“ 

Ianto climbed down the ladder into Jack's quarters – slowly to give him enough time to clear away the pictures. His gaze brushed over the chest of drawers and the bare walls before settling on the bed. The photographs were still spread out on the sheets. Jack was holding one of them up, motioning him closer. “That's Matthew.“

“I saw his photograph in his file,“ Ianto answered.

“His file,“ Jack shook his head and patted the narrow bed invitingly. “Sit down. Look at how he really was.“

Ianto obeyed and took the photograph. Matthew was sitting at his desk, illuminated by the desk lamp. He was focussed on some papers, a pen in his hand and the head propped up on the other hand. 

“He could sit like that for hours,“ Jack smiled.

Ianto raised his head to look at him. “Why are you showing me this?“

Jack shrugged. “I wanted to show it to someone.“ He smiled. “He loved Earl Grey, but during his pregnancy, the smell made him nauseous.“

Ianto allowed a smile to slip out. Jack's face more alive than it had been the last few days, the effort wiped away.

“He was a fantastic rider. He loved horses.“ Jack took the photograph back and glanced at the back of it before handing it to Ianto once again. “He hated the summer and loved the winter.“

Ianto glanced at the back of the picture too, and his smile died when he saw the neat letters on it. He read, “Candy floss.“ 

“He could eat tons of it,“ Jack laughed.

Ianto raised his head. “You wrote everything down he liked and didn't like.“

Jack ducked his head, almost seeming ashamed. He raised his head enough to look at Ianto. “I forget them. I know what they looked like and what I felt for them but ...“ He caressed the face of a young woman on another photograph. “I forget the small things, the ones that made me fall for them. Everyday things.“

There were tears in his eyes and Ianto reacted on instinct. He cupped Jack's cheek in one hand and brushed a thumb down the strong cheekbone. “That's alright.“

“You think?“ Jack asked. “I should know.“

“Jack … Matthew went missing seventy years ago, some of those pictures and drawings are even older. What matters is that you look at them at all. That proves how much they meant to you.“ 

Jack didn't seem like he believed him. “I should be able to remember. Each and everyone. Everything.“

Ianto turned the picture back around and looked at the words on the back of it for a long time, then he slid closer to Jack. “These things are minor. You know what didn't make this list?“ he asked. Jack raised his head. Ianto whispered, “Things that were really important to you – like how you met or Michael.“ He smiled. “Besides … the way you talk about them … is proof that you love them.“ Ianto gazed into Jack's eyes until he saw that he had understood him. He smiled, and without thinking about it, he kissed him. Jack gasped in surprise, and Ianto was just about to withdraw and apologize but then he realized that he didn't want to. Instead, he pressed their lips together a bit firmer, and he felt Jack return the kiss. Jack's hands cupped his nape and his fingers played with Ianto's hairline. Ianto deepened the kiss hesitantly and slid closer to Jack, his hand gliding from Jack's cheek to the back of his neck. The kiss was tender and passionate and Ianto realized that he needed this … before he reminded himself that he'd intended to think about this with a bit of distance. He stopped the kiss reluctantly, bit his lip and avoided Jack's eyes.

Jack tipped Ianto's chin up with a finger and chuckled. “Did you find what you were looking for?“

Ianto wondered why Jack was able to read him that well.

“Maybe,“ he whispered. He got up. “I should leave.“

Jack nodded. “Sleep tight, Ianto.“ He nodded and was already at the ladder, when Jack said, “I almost forgot … you wanted to talk to me.“

Ianto turned back around to him. “Yes,“ he remembered. “Indeed. The camping trip ...“ Jack nodded. Ianto took a deep breath. “I'd like to come with you, sir.“

Jack raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Really?“ 

“Yes, sir. It's only two or three days. I can give the Weevils and Myfanwy enough food to last and Tosh said that the Rift wouldn't act up in the next few days. Even if Cardiff should face imminent doom ...“ Ianto allowed a small smile. “I wouldn't be able to save the city on my own.“

Jack laughed. “That's true.“ Pride was showing on his face. “Alright, you're in.“

“Thank you,“ Ianto said. “You won't regret it.“

Jack shook his head. “I'm sure I won't.“

***

_“Obey my rules and we'll get along just fine,“ the new Torchwood leader Constantine Jane explained, heading for his office with Jack in tow._

_Jack didn't like him. He'd been assigned to them by Torchwood One and he seemed to think that he was way better than them – he'd even brought his own secretary._

_But Jack needed the connection to Torchwood, so he smiled. “I'm sure we will.“_

_“If we feel that we need another pair of hands, we'll get you. Everything as it is now, really. There are a few errands in Europe and India I'd like you to run. If I'm happy with your performance, you'll get a promotion to a full Torchwood agent in no time.“ He entered his office with Jack on his heels. “Matthew, the list.“_

_A young man got up from his place behind a small desk in the shadows of the office and headed towards them to hand Constantine a piece of paper. He then stood, with his hands folded behind his back, one step behind Constantine. Dark curly hair and a likeable face. Jack smiled at him and was gifted with a shy smile in return. Constantine snapped his fingers. “Hey, Harkness, eyes on me.“ Constantine glanced at Matthew before returning his firm stare to Jack. “I've heard all about you. You can do whatever you like outside of this base but you stay away from my team and my secretary. I don't want that kind of distraction here.“ He looked at the list and Jack rolled his eyes at Matthew. Constantine turned his back on them to add something to the list. Jack used the opportunity to point at himself and then Matthew before imitating to eat. The young man blushed and shook his head. Jack folded his hands pleadingly and adapted his pout. A smile was tugging at Matthew's lips, but he kept suppressing it. Jack looked questioningly at him. Matthew laughed and Constantine turned around to them. He stared at Matthew. “Don't you have something to do, boy?“_

_Matthew nodded. “Of course, Mr. Jane. I'm sorry.“ He returned to his desk._

_While Constantine explained to Jack what he wanted him to do in India, Matthew and Jack's eyes sought each other out now and then._

Jack woke up. He was sitting in his desk chair. The Fairies laughed.

“Why are you doing this?“ he asked. The sounds ceased and Jack knew that they'd left – for the last time. He got up and grabbed his mug from his desk. He left the office and was headed for the coffee machine, but half-way there, he stopped abruptly. The entrance door was papered with something that looked like blue prints from his position. There was a bucket with red paint lying on the floor, left over from a renovation of the tourist office's backroom shortly before 2000. The paint was staining the tiles like blood. Jack cursed softly. “Bastards!“ he muttered. He headed for the door, avoiding stepping into the paint, and took a closer look at the blue prints. Plans of the base. “What?“ he growled in annoyance. Until now, the Fairies had never ever destroyed anything in the Hub and he was surprised. Even more so, since they'd told him not too long ago that they were grateful. He removed one of the plans carefully and froze. There were letters painted on the door underneath. He had to remove three other blue prints before he was able to read the message:

_He's alive_

Jack's chest tightened. With trembling hands, he removed the other plans and found the rest of the message:

_Look closer_

 

END  
12/10


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